<^^ 


^o. 


REESE  Library 


UNIVERSITY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Received, S^^^  CLU^  rS8  J/C 

Accessions  No.  .2^-^.  _^^- .       ShW  No 


o- 


AN 

APPEAL  TO  THE  PEOPLE 

IN  BEHALF  OF  THEIR  RIGHTS 

AS  ' 

AUTHORIZED   INTERPRETERS   OF 
THE  BIBLE. 


BY  CATHARINE  E.  BEECHER, 

AITTHOE   OF    "  COMMON   BENBE  APPLIED  TO  EELIGION,"    "  DOMEBTIO 

ECONOMY,"   "DOMEBTIO   BECEIPT-BOOK,"    "  LETTEBS  TO   TUB 

REOPLB  ON   HEALTH  AND  UAPPINE6B,"    "  PHY  BIOLOGY 

AND  CALISIBSNICNB,"  KXO.,  £T0. 


NEW    YOEK: 
HARPER    &    BROTHERS,    PUBLISHERS, 

FEANKLIN    BQUABE. 
1860. 


^^^ 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  one  thousand 
eight  hundred^nd  fifty-nine,  by 

Harper    &    Brothers, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District 
of  New  York. 


TO 

THE  TRUE  TRIBUNES  OF  THE  PEOPLE, 
CALLED   OF  GOD  IN"  BEHALF   OF  THE  COMMOITWEALTH 

TO    DEFEND 

LIBBETY   OF  CONSCIENCE,   FREEDOM   OF   SPEECH, 

AND  THE  BIGHT  OF  ALL  TO 

INTEBPEET  THE  BIBLE  FOR  THEMSELVES, 

UNEESTEAINED  BT  ANT  ECCLKSL^TICAL  POWEB, 

THIS   VOLUME 

IS  EESPECTFULLY  DEDICATED. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 


PAQB 

Introduction 1 


CHAPTER  IL 
The  Augustinian  Theory  of  the  Origin  of  Evil 3 

CHAPTER    III. 
Questions  Connected  with  the  Augustinian  Theory 5 

CHAPTER  IV. 
The  DifiSculties  Involved  in  the  Augustinian  Theory 11 

^                       CHAPTER  V. 
The  Augustinian  Theory  in  Creeds 18 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Modes  of  Meeting  Dif^culties 24 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Theologians  Themselves  Concede  the  Augustinian  Dogma  Inde- 
fensible      SO 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
The  Augustinian  Theory  Contrary  to  the  Moral  Sense  of  Mankind    3i 


VI  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

FAGB 

Piiaciplea  of  Common  Sense  Defined 41 

CHAPTER  X. 
Common  Sense  Applied  to  Gain  the  Existence  of  God. . .  i 44 

CHAPTER  XI. 
The  People's  Mental  Philosophy 50 

CHAPTER  XII. 
The  Nature  of  Mmd ;  or  its  Powers  and  Faculties 54 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Nature  of  Mind— Regulation  of  the  Thoughts 59 

CHAPTER  XIY. 
Nature  of  Mind — ^the  Moral  Sense,  or  Moral  Susceptibilities 64 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Nature  of  Mmd— the  Will 73 

CHAPTER  XYT. 
Nature  of  Mind— Constitutional  Varieties  of  Mind 86 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Nature  of  Mind— Habit 81 

CHAPTER  XYIIL 

The  Nature  of  Mind  our  Guide  to  the  Natural  Attributes  of  God    98 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
The  Nature  of  Mind  our  Guide  to  the  Moral  Attributes  of  God. .  102 


CONTENTS,  VU 

CHAPTER  XX. 

PAQB 

Additional  Proofe  of  the  Moral  Attributes  of  God 121 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
Nature  of  Mind,  as  Perfect  in  Construction 127 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
Right  and  Wrong— True  Virtue 130 

CHAPTER  XXin 
Laws  and  Penalties — Sin  and  Holiness 145 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
Love  to  God  and  Love  to  Man 151 

CHAPTER  :5tXV. 
Civilization  Increases  Moral  Difficulties 159 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 
Humility  and  Meekness 163 

CHAPTER  XXVIL 
The  Standard  of  Right  and  "Wrong  Decided  by  the  Risks  of  Eter- 
nity  161 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
The  Destiny  of  Man  in  the  Future  Life ITO 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 
What  Must  We  Do  to  be  Saved 181 

CHAPTER  XXX. 
How  far  Reason  and  Experience  are  Sufficient  without  Revela- 
tion  192 


Vm  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

.>^'  PAaE 

Augustinian  Creeds  and  Theologians  Teach  the  Common-Sense 

System 202 


CHAPTER  XXXn. 

Augustinian  Theologians  Contradict  the  Coimnon-Sense  System, 

and  thus  also  Contradict  Themselves 209 


CHAPTER  XXXni. 
The  Augustinian  Theory  not  in  the  Bible 229 

CHAPTER  XXXIY. 

A  Reliable  Revelation  from  the  Creator  Impossible  if  it  contains 

the  Augustinian  Theory 235 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 
Tendencies  of  the  Two  Opposing  Systems 239 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

Tendencies  of  the  Two  Systems  as  it  Respects  the  Cultivation  of 

the  Moral  and  Intellectual  Powers 243 

CHAPTER  XXXVn. 

Tendencies  of  the  Two  Systems  in  Respect  to  Individual  Experi- 
ence  246 

CHAPTER  XXXVin. 

Tendencies  of  the  Two  Systems  in  Reference  to  the  Character  of 

God 259 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 
Tendencies  of  the  Two  Systems  as  to  Church  Organizations 265 


CONTENTS.  ix 

CHAPTER  XL. 

PAGB 

Tendencies  of  tlia  Two  Systems  in  Regard  to  Humility,  Meek- 
ness and  a  Teachable  Spirit 271 

CHAPTER  XLI. 
Tendencies  of  the  Two  Systems  in  Regard  to  Dogmatism,  Perse- 
cution and  Ecclesiastical  Tyranny 274 

CHAPTER  XLII. 
Tendencies  of  the  Two  Systems  as  Shown  in  Controversies  and 

Sects; 282 

CHAPTER  XLIII. 
Practical  Tendencies  of  the  Two  Systems 289 

CHAPTER  XLIY. 
Tendencies  of  the  Two  Systems  in  the  Training  of  Children 294 

CHAPTER  XLY. 
The  People  Rejecting  fhe  Augustinian  System — Position  of  The- 
ologians    298 

CHAPTER  XLYI. 
Present  Position  of  the  Church 314 

CHAPTER  XLYH. 
State  of  the  Pastors  of  Churches 325 

I                                    CHAPTER  XLYIII. 
"^  The  Position  of  Popular  Education 329 

CHAPTER  XLIX. 
The  Position  of  Woman  as  the  Chief  Educator  of  Mind 331 


.\ 


X  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  L. 
J\Present  Position  of  Young  America 336 

CHAPTER  LI. 
Present  Position  of  the  Religious  Press 339 

CHAPTER  LII. 
Present  Position  of  the  Secular  Press 343 

CHAPTER  Lin. 
\  What  the  People  "Will  Do 346 


Ql    THE 

A  N     AP  PEAL. 


CHAPTER   I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

There  is  an  obvious  crisis  approaching,  in  the  re- 
ligious world,  on  questions  of  the  highest  moment. 
In  past  time  such  periods  of  change  have  been  pre- 
ceded by  a  slow  and  silent  preparation,  in  which  mul- 
titudes have  been  led  into  the  same  course  of  thought 
and  feeling.  Then,  as  the  crisis  approached,  some 
efficient  leader  lifted  the  last  stone  which  sustained  the 
protecting  dyke,  and  rode  on  the  summit  of  the  in- 
rushing  tide  to  notoriety  and  influence.  Thus  it  was 
in  the  day  of  Luther,  in  the  day  of  Wesley,  and  at 
other  periods  of  religious  movement. 

At  the  present  time  there  are  indications  of  a  great 
impending  change,  which  has  been  preceded  by  a  long 
course  of  unobserved  preparation.  But  it  is  believed 
that,  in  this  case,  it  is  not  to  be  exhibited,  like  former 
ones,  by  leaders  forming  new  sects  and  parties,  amid 
more  or  less  of  conflict  and  commotion,  but  by  the 
agency  of  the  people^  and  by  a  healthful,  quiet  pro- 
cess, which,  like  leaven,  shall  gradually  assimilate  sur- 
rounding particles  till  the  whole  be  leavened. 

The  matter  involved  is  the  great  question  of  ques- 
tions, to  each  individual  for  himself,  and  to  every 


Z  INTRODUCTION. 

parent  and  educator  for  their  children — "  What  must 
we  DO  to  be  saved?" 

It  is  the  object  of  this  volume  to  show  that  the 
answer  to  this  great  question  has,  for  ages,  been  in- 
volved in  mystery  and  difficulty  by  means  of  a 
'philosopMcal  theory  to  account  for  the  "origin  of  evil," 
which,  in  the  fifth  century,  was  forced  on  the  people 
by  popes  and  ecclesiastical  councils,  and  which  has 
been  sustained  by  persecution  ever  since — that  this 
theory  is  the  basis  of  a  system  of  religious  doctrine 
incorporated  into  creeds  and  churches,  which  is  so 
contrary  to  the  moral  sense  of  humanity,  that  theo- 
logians have  failed  to  render  it  consistent  and  satisfac- 
tory, even  to  themselves — ^that  the  peojole  are  endowed 
with  principles  of  common  sense  by  which  they  can 
educe  from  the  works  of  God  a  system  of  natural 
religion  far  superior,  which  system  is  briefly  set  forth, 
and  also  the  tendencies  of  the  two  opposing  systems — 
that  both  systems  are  so  incorporated  into  church 
creeds,  and  into  theological  teachings,  that  they  are  a 
compound  of  contradictions,  and  all  the  great  relig- 
ious controversies  have  been  efforts  to  eviscerate  the 
false  system  from  the  true,  while  through  the  long 
conflict,  it  is  theologians  who  have  proved  the  noble 
confessors  and  martyrs  for  truth — ^that  it  is  impossible 
to  establish  the  claims  of  the  Bible,  or  of  any  other 
writings,  as  revelations  from  the  Creator,  when  the 
Augustinian  theory  is  made  a  part  of  their  teachings ; 
so  that  the  real  question  for  the  people,  is  "  Bible  or 
no  Bible" — that  the  leading  theological  teachers  of  the 
chief  sects  in  this  country  have  virtually  conceded 
that  this  theory  is  sustained  neither  by  common  sense 
nor  the  Bible ;  and,  finally,  that  the  people  are  about 


THE     AUGUSTINE     THEORY.  3 

to  cast  off  this  dogma,  wliicli  for  ages  has  darkened 
the  way  to  eternal  life,  and  by  applying  the  principles 
of  common  sense  to  the  Bible,  thus  establish  its  agree- 
ment with  the  system  of  natural  religion  herein  set 
forth. 

In  conclusion,  the  indications  of  the  predicted  change 
are  set  forth  as  they  are  manifested  in  the  present 
position  of  theologians — of  the  parochial  clergy — of 
the  church — of  educational  interests — of  women — of 
"Young  America" — and  of  the  religious  and  secular 
press. 


CHAPTEK    II. 

THE  AUGUSTINE   THEORY  OF  THE   ORIGIN  OF  EVIL. 

The  theory  in  question  was  introduced  into  the 
Christian  church,  as  an  article  of  faith,  in  the  fifth  cen- 
tury, chiefly  by  the  influence  of  Augustine,  an  Afri- 
can bishop. 

To  understand  how  it  was  brought  about,  it  is  need- 
ful to  bear  in  mind  the  distinction  between  facts  and 
the  philosophical  theories  that  explain  the  how  and 
the  why  of  these  facts. 

Christ  and  his  Apostles  taught  the  fact  that  all  men 
are  sinners,  and  the  way  to  escape  from  sin  and  its 
penalties.  As,  at  first,  Christianity  prevailed  chiefly 
among  the  uneducated,  it  was  not  till  some  three  or 
four  hundred  years  after  Christ,  that  the  philosophy 
of  these  facts  agitated  the  churches.  Augustine  was 
a  man  of  powerful  mind  and  great  learning,  and  with 


4  THE     AUGUSTINE     THEORY 

Other  pliilosopliers,  speculated  as  to  *'  the  origin  of 
evil,"  or  the  why  and  the  how  all  men  came  to  be 
sinners. 

By  the  aid  of  a  few  misinterpreted  passages  in  the 
Bible,  the  following  theory  was  introduced  and  mainly 
by  Augustine. 

The  Augustinian  Theory, 

The  Creator  has  proved  his  power  to  make  minds 
with  such  ^^  a  holy  nature"  that  they  v/ill  have  no  pro- 
pensity to  sin,  by  creating  the  minds  of  angels  and  of 
Adam  on  this  pattern.  Adam  having  this  holy  na- 
ture, with  no  propensity  to  sin,  did  sin,  and,  as  a 
penalty,  or  in  consequence,  all  his  posterity  commence 
existence  without  this  holy  nature,  and  with  such  a 
depraved  nature  that  every  moral  act  is  sin  and  only 
sin  until  God  regenerates  each  mind.  This  favor  is 
bestowed  only  on  a  certain  "elect"  number,  whose 
salvation  was  purchased  by  the  sufferings  and  death 
of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  rest  of  the  race,  after  death,  are  to  continue  an 
existence  of  hopeless  torment  in  hell. 

This  depraved  nature  is  the  "  origin  of  evil ;"  that 
is  to  say,  it  is  the  cause  of  all  the  sin  and  consequent 
misery  of  our  race  in  time  and  through  eternity.  It 
is  what  is  meant  by  the  terms  "total  depravity,"  and 
"  original  sin"  as  used  by  theologians. 

At  first  the  pope  and  the  church  councils  refused 
this  theory,  but  eventually,  the  Augustinian  party  tri- 
umphed ;  Pelagius  and  his  followers  were  persecuted 
and  driven  out  of  the  church,  and  thus  this  dogma 
was  estabhshed  as  a  leading  feature  in  all  the  creeds  and 
confessions  of  both  Catholic  and  Protestant  churches. 


OF    THE     ORIGIN     OF     EVIL.  5 

So  thoroughly  has  it  been  adopted  that,  since  the 
time  of  Pelagius,  there  has  been  little  discussion 
among  the  great  Christian  sects  on  the  theory  itself. 
These  disputes  have  chiefly  related  to  certain  ques- 
tions connected  with  this  dogma,  which  will  next  be 
noticed. 


CHAPTER    III. 

QUESTIONS  CONNECTED  WITH  THE  AUGUSTINIAN 
THEORY, 

In  discussing  the  topics  of  this  chapter  it  is  needful 
to  refer  to  certain  religious  sects  and  parties  of  this 
country  in  their  relations  to  the  subject. 

The  first  class  may  be  denominated  the  old  school 
Calvinists,  embracing  the  Old  School  Presbyterian 
churches,  the  Reformed  Dutch  and  most  of  the  Bap- 
tist denominations. 

Their  views  are  ably  presented  by  the  theologians 
of  Princeton  and  their  quarterly,  and  by  the  Baptist 
theologians  of  the  Kewton  Theological  Seminary  and 
the  Baptist  periodicals. 

The  second  class  may  be  called  the  new  school  Cal- 
vinists, embracing  Congregational  and  New  School 
Presbyterian  churches.  These  are  ably  represented  in 
New  England  by  the  Andover  and  New  Haven  Theo- 
logical Seminaries  and  their  respective  quarterlies; 
and  out  of  New  England,  by  the  Theological  Semi- 
naries of  Union  and  Lane,  and  their  quarterly  at 
Philadelphia. 


6  QUESTIONS     CONNECTED     WITH 

The  third  class  are  the  Arminian  sects,  including 
the  Methodists  and  Episcopalians,  whose  views  are 
ablj  presented  in  their  quarterlies  and  other  peri- 
odicals in  New  York  and  Philadelphia. 

In  what  does  the  depraved  nature  transmitted  from, 
Adam  consist  ? 

In  seeking  a  definite  and  clear  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion, what  is  the  depraved  nature  transmitted  from 
Adam,  we  find  so  much  vagueness  and  mistiness,  that 
it  will  be  needful  to  state  first  what  it  is  not,  and  then 
it  will  be  more  easy  to  approximate  to  the  affirmative 
reply. 

We  find,  then,  that  theologians  teach  that  this  de- 
praved nature  does  not  consist  in  any  of  those  consti- 
tutional powers  and  faculties  of  mind,  of  which  God 
is  the  author.  For  they  maintain  that  all  that  God 
has  made  is  perfect  and  right,  and  that  he  is  not  the 
creator  of  that  which  is  the  cause  or  origin  of  sin,  in- 
asmuch as  this  would  make  him  "  the  author  of  sin," 
which  they  expressly  deny.  This  depraved  nature, 
then,  is  something  whicb  God  did  not  create.  This  is 
what  is  affirmed  when  theologians  say  that  they  do 
not  teach,  a  "physical  depravity"  which  demands 
"  physical  regeneration"  on  the  part  of  God. 

Then  on  the  positive  side,  we  find  that  this  depraved 
nature  is  something  that  mind  can  be  created  without, 
for  God  made  the  angels  and  Adam  without  it. 

It  is  something  which  does  not  prevent  sinful  action, 
for  Adam  sinned  before  it  existed. 

It  is  something  which  God  can  at  any  time  remedy, 
at  least  to  some  extent,  by  regeneration. 

It  is  something  which  makes  every  moral  act  of 


THE     AUGUSTINIAN     THEORY.  7 

every  human  being  sin  and  only  sin  until  regeneration 
takes  place. 

It  is  something  which  man  created  himself,  either 
in  Adam,  or  hy  Adam,  or  lefore  Adam. 

It  is  something  which  man  never  can  or  never  will 
rectify,  so  that  he  is  entirely  dependent  on  God  for 
the  remedy. 

It  is  something  which  most  theologians  describe  as 
"a  bias,"  or  "a  tendency,"  or  "a  propensity,"  or 
"an  inclination,"  or  "a  proclivity"  to  sin,  while  its 
opposite  is  called  a  lioly  nature  which  was  created  by 
God,  and  which  consists  in  a  bias,  tendency,  propen- 
sity, inclination  or  proclivity  to  holiness. 

According  to  this,  God  created  the  holy  nature  of 
angels  and  our  first  parents,  and  man  caused  the  de- 
praved nature  of  all  of  Adam's  posterity. 

Some  theologians  attempt  to  define  it  as  an  unbal- 
anced state  of  the  faculties,  while  holiness  consists  in  the 
perfect  balance  of  the  faculties.  This  balanced  state 
of  the  faculties  conferred  at  his  creation  on  Adam 
has  been  withheld  from  all  his  descendants  by  a  con- 
stitution formed  by  God  in  consequence  of  Adam's 
sin.  Some  theologians  define  this  depravity  as  like  a 
habit.  Others  hold  that  it  is  a  state  of  the  will,  some- 
times called  a  disposition  or  ruling  purpose. 

Some  theologians  teach  that  the  presence  of  God's 
Spirit,  in  the  soul  of  man  is  indispensable  to  its  right 
action,  and  that  his  depraved  nature  is  the  result  of 
the  "  deprivation"  of  God's  Spirit,  which  was  bestowed 
on  Adam,  and  is  withheld  from  his  descendants  on 
account  of  his  first  sin.  According  to  this  view,  a 
holy  mind  is  one  which  enjoys  the  presence  of  God's 
Spirit,  and  a  depraved  mind  is  one  that  is  deprived  of  it. 


8  QUESTIONS     CONNECTED     WITH 

Ability  and  Inability. 

The  next  question  connected  witli  tTie  Augustine 
theory  is  in  regard  to  man's  power  or  ability  to  obey 
God. 

The  old  school  Calvinists  hold  that  man  has  no 
power  of  any  kind  to  obey  any  of  God's  laws  accep- 
tably until  his  depraved  nature  is  regenerated  by  God, 
and  also  that  he  has  no  power  to  do  any  thing  that 
has  any  tendency  to  secure  regeneration.  Every  act 
and  feeling  is  sin  and  only  sin  from  birth  to  regenera- 
tion. 

The  new  school  Calvinists  hold  that  man  has  full 
power  to  obey  all  that  God  requires,  but  that  owing  to 
his  depraved  nature,  he  never  will  perform  a  morally 
right  act  in  a  single  instance,  until  regenerated^  nor 
will  he  do  any  thing  that  has  any  promise,  or  encour- 
agement from  the  Word  of  God,  as  tending  to  secure 
regeneration.  He  is  as  entirely  dependent  on  God 
as  if  he  had  no  power  of  any  kind.  And  as  the 
inability,  whether  natural  or  moral,  is  all  owing  to  the 
depraved  nature  consequent  on  Adam's  sin,  the  fact 
that  man  has  power  to  do  what  he  never  will  do,  only 
adds  to  the  misery  of  the  condition  thus  entailed. 

The  Arminian  sects  agree  in  the  fact  that  the  sin  of 
Adam  entailed  such  a  depraved  nature  to  all  the  race, 
as  more  or  less  incapacitates  for  right  moral  action  until 
regeneration  takes  place. 

The  Episcopal  Arminians  hold  to  the  Catholic  view 
that  baptism  in  part  remedies  the  effects  of  Adam's 
sin,  so  that  by  the  use  of  the  means  afforded  by  a 
ministry  regularly  transmitted  from  the  Apostles,  the 
unregenerate  can  gain  eternal  life. 

The  Methodist  Arminians  hold  that  depravity  con- 


THE    AUGUSTINIAN     THEOEY.  9 

sists  in  the  '^  deprivatio'n)''  of  God's  Spirit  wMcTi  was 
given  to  Adam,  and  that  the  death  of  Christ  has  so 
availed,  that  man  now  has  some  measure  of  this  Spirit 
restored  before  regeneration,  so  that  all  men  have 
power,  bj  the  use  of  certain  appointed  means  of  grace, 
to  gain  regeneration. 

The  main  point  where  the  Calvinists  and  Arminians 
differ  is,  that  the  Arminians  teach  that  man  has  an  ap- 
pointed mode  for  gaining  regeneration,  and  the  Cal- 
vinists teach  that  he  has  not. 

What  is  Regeneration  ? 

The  next  question  is,  in  what  does  that  great  change 
consist  which  is  called  regeneration,  and  which  is  in- 
dispensable to  salvation  from  eternal  woe? 

The  old  school  Calvinists  say  it  is  a  new  nature 
created  by  God  which  naturally  acts  right,  in  place  of 
a  depraved  nature  which  naturally  acts  wrong  and 
only  wrong.  With  this  new  nature  man  has  power  to 
obey  God  acceptably,  and  without  it  he  has  no  power 
of  any  kind. 

The  new  school  Calvinists  say  that  regeneration  is 
a  change  of  the  depraved  nature  of  man  by  God,  at- 
tended by  a  choice  or  ruling  purpose  to  obey  God  in 
all  things  made  by  man  himself.  They  teach  also 
that  man  can  and  ought  to  make  this  choice  without 
any  help  from  God  in  changing  his  depraved  nature, 
and  yet,  owing  to  this  evil  nature,  he  never  will  do  so 
till  God  changes  it.  Meantime  God  points  out  no  cer- 
tain way  of  obtaining  this  indispensable  aid  from 
him.* 

The  Arminians  teach  that  regeneration  consists  either 
in  the  implanting  of  a  new  nature  by  baptism,  and 
*  Note  A. 


10  QUESTIONS    CONNECTED     WITH 

the  use  of  other  means  of  grace,  or  in  the  restoration 
of  God's  Spirit  which  was  withdrawn  from  man  on 
account  of  Adam's  sin,  and  in  some  degree  restored 
by  Christ's  death. 

What  must  we  do  to  he  saved  f 

The  next  question  for  a  race  thus  mournfully  ruined 
is,  "  What  must  we  do  to  be  saved  ?" 

In  reply,  the  old  school  Calvinist  says,  you  can  do 
nothing  at  all.  Whoever  is  saved  will  be  regenerated 
by  God,  without  reference  to  any  unregenerate  doings. 
Tt  is  all  decided  not  by  man  in  any  way,  but  by  the 
"  decrees"  and  "  election"  of  God. 

The  new  school  Calvinist  says,  You  can  do  all 
that  God  requires,  so  as  to  be  perfect  in  every  thought, 
word  and  deed,  from  the  beginning  of  moral  action  to 
the  close  of  life,  but  you  certainly  never  will  feel  or 
do  a  single  thing  that  is  right  and  acceptable  until 
regenerated ;  nor  will  you  ever  do  any  thing  to  which 
any  promise  is  offered  by  God  as  that  which  will 
secure  his  interference  to  regenerate.  It  is  all  de- 
cided, not  by  man,  but  by  the  ''  decrees"  and  "  elec- 
tion" of  God. 

The  Arminians  say  you  can  obtain  regeneration 
and  eternal  life,  by  the  use  of  the  means  of  grace  set 
forth  in  the  Bible  and  by  "  the  Churcb." 

True  virtue  J  or  right  moral  action. 

The  next  question  is,  what  is  true  virtue,  or  right 
moral  action  ? 

By  moral  action  is  meant  the  act  of  mind  in  choosing ^ 
in  distinction  from  intellectual  and  other  acts  of  mind. 

The  Calvinists,  both  old  and  new  school,  teach  that 


THE     AUGUSTINIAN     THEORY.  11 

true  virtue,  or  riglit  moral  action  in  man,  is  clioosing 
to  obey  God's  laws  after  regeneration  takes  place. 
Previous  to  regeneration,  every  choice  is  sin  and 
has  no  moral  goodness  or  rectitude.  Thus  truth,  hon- 
esty, justice,  self-denial  for  the  good  of  others,  obedi- 
ence to  parents,  are  all  sin  in  an  unregenerate  mind, 
and  true  virtue  in  the  regenerate  mind. 

The  Antinomian  Calvinist  goes  so  far  as  to  claim 
that  every  choice  of  a  regenerate  mind  is  right  and 
holy,  just  as  every  choice  of  the  unregenerate  is  sin. 
Thus  the  practice  of  the  most  hideous  vices  and  crimes 
becomes  virtue  in  the  regenerate. 

But  all  other  Calvinists  maintain  that  after  regen- 
eration we  can  and  do  sin,  though  previous  to  this 
change  no  truly  virtuous  act  is  ever  performed. 

The  Arminians  hold  that  true  virtue  consists  in 
obeying  God's  laws,  without  reference  to  the  question 
of  regeneration.  They  do  not  hold,  as  do  all  Calvin- 
ists, that  all  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate  are  sinfu], 
and  thus  have  no  promise  or  encouragement  in  the 
Bible  as  having  an  influence  to  secure  regeneration. 


CHAPTEE    IV. 

THE  DIFFICULTIES  INVOLVED  IK  THE  AUGUSTINIAN 
THEORY. 

The  difiiculties  involved  in  the  Augustinian  theory 
of  "  the  origin  of  evil,"  result  from  these  facts.  Our 
only  idea  of  a  benevolent  being  is  that  wherever  he 
has  the  power  to  produce  either  happiness  or  misery, 


12  DIFFICULTIES     INVOLVED     IN 

he  prefers  to  make  happiness.  Our  only  idea  of  a 
malevolent  being  is  that  wherever  he  has  this  power 
he  prefers  to  make  misery. 

Consequently,  the  affirmation  that  all  the  sin  and 
misery  of  man  is  the  result  of  a  depraved  nature 
which  the  Creator  has  power  both  to  prevent  and  to 
remove,  conveys  no  other  idea  than  that  God  prefers 
to  make  misery  when  he  has  power  to  make  happi- 
ness, and  thus  is  a  malevolent  being. 

If  God  would  make  all  minds  perfectly  holy,  as 
theologians  claim  he  has  power  to  do,  all  sin  would 
cease.  He  chooses  not  to  do  so,  but  rather  to  per- 
petuate the  depraved  nature  transmitted  from  Adam, 
which  is  "  the  origin  of  all  evil." 

Now  all  classes  of  theologians  who  hold  to  the  de- 
pravity of  man's  nature  consequent  on  Adam's  sin, 
agree  that  this  is  the  cause  or  origin  of  all  sin  and  its 
consequent  suffering. 

They  all  agree,  also,  that  God  has  proved  his  power 
to  make  a  perfectly  holy  nature  in  the  case  of  angels 
and  of  Adam,  and  that  in  consequence  of  the  first  sin 
of  Adam,  every  human  mind  begins  to  exist  with  a 
depraved  nature,  according  to  a  constitution  of  things 
instituted  by  God. 

They  all  agree  that  God  can  regenerate  every  hu- 
man mind,  and  that  this  boon  is  withheld,  not  for 
want  of  power  J  but  for  want  of  will  on  the  part  of 
God. 

The  difficulty  that  they  have  to  meet  is  this — How 
can  the  Creator,  having  done  thus,  be  regarded  as  any 
other  than  a  malevolent  being,  the  malignant  and 
hateful  "  author  of  sin,"  and  all  its  consequent  suf- 
ferings ? 


THE     AUGUSTINIAN     THEORY.  13 

The  following  exTiibits  tlie  several  modes  of  at- 
tempting to  meet  this  question. 

The  Oaiholic  Method, 

The  first  mode  of  meeting  this  difficulty  is  called 
that  of  mystery  and  sovereignty.  It  is  simply  saying 
that  there  is  no  explanation  to  be  given.  It  is  a  mys- 
tery that  God  as  a  sovereign  does  not  choose  to  ex- 
plain, and  it  must  be  submitted  to  in  uncomplaining 
silence. 

This  is  the  Catholic  mode  which  has  been  perpetu- 
ated by  many  Protestants.  It  is  the  same  method  as 
is  adopted  in  defending  the  Catholic  doctrine  of  tran- 
substantiation. 

All  who  do  not  resort  to  the  Catholic  mode  of  mys- 
tery and  sovereignty,  endeavor  to  relieve  the  Creator 
from  the  charge  of  being  the  author  of  sin  by  main- 
taining that  man  made  his  own  dej)raved  nature. 

This  they  set  forth  in  the  following  ways ; 

Mode  of  Augustine  and  of  President  Edwards, 
Augustine,  the  father  of  this  dreadful  system,  main- 
tained that  all  men  had  a  common  nature  in  Adam, 
which  was  ruined  by  his  act,  after  God  had  made  this 
common  nature  perfect.  That  is  to  say,  every  human 
soul  existed  as  a  part  of  Adam,  and  thus  his  act  was 
the  act  of  each  and  of  all.  This  act  vitiated  the  com- 
mon nature  of  all,  and  thus  Adam  and  each  of  his 
posterity  caused  the  depravity  of  their  common  na- 
ture. And  thus,  though  God  had  the  power  to  create 
each  mind  as  perfect  as  he  created  Adam's,  still  he  is 
not  the  author  of  sin. 

President  Edwards,  the  great  New  England  theolo- 


14  DIFFICULTIES     INVOLVED     IN 

gian,  tauglit  that  all  the  minds  of  our  race  so  existed  in 
Adam,  and  were  so  one  with  his  mind,  that  when  he 
chose  to  eat  the  forbidden  fruit,  all  his  descendants 
chose  to  do  so  too,  and  thus  each  man  ruined  his  own 
nature,  and  God  is  not  the  author  of  the  evil. 

The  Princeton  Mode, 

The  theologians  of  Princeton  set  forth  the  following 
as  the  mode  in  which  man  caused  his  own  depraved 
nature : 

God  created  Adam  with  a  perfectly  holy  nature. 
Adam  sinned  and  ruined  his  own  nature.  God  had 
previously  "  made  a  covenant  with  Adam,  not  only 
for  himself,  but  for  all  his  posterity,  or  in  other  words^ 
Adam  having  been  placed  on  trial,  not  only  for  him- 
self, but  also  for  his  race,  his  act  was  in  virtue  of  this 
relation  regarded  (by  God)  as  our  act.  God  withdrew 
from  us  as  he  did  from  him ;  in  consequence  of  this 
withdrawal,  we  begin  to  exist  in  moral  darkness,  des- 
titute of  a  disposition  to  delight  in  God  and  prone  to 
delight  in  ourselves  and  in  the  world.  The  sin  of 
Adam  therefore  ruined  us;  and  the  intervention  of 
the  Son  of  God  for  our  salvation  is  an  act  of  pure, 
sovereign,  and  wonderful  grace." 

The  above  is  extracted  from  a  standard  writer  of 
the  Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  and  expresses 
the  views  of  the  Old  School  Presbyterian  church  in 
this  matter. 

It  is  simply  saying  that  man  made  his  own  depraved 
nature,  inasmuch  as  God  regarded  Adam's  act  as  our 
act  when  it  was  not,  being  performed  before  we  existed, 
and  that  he  punished  us  by  withdrawing  from  us,  as 
he  did  from  Adam^  and  thus  our  nature  becomes  ruined 
and  totally  depraved. 


THE     AUGUSTINIAN     THEORY.  15 

The  Constitutional  Transmission  Mode. 

The  next  way  in  which,  man  is  made  to  be  the  au- 
thor of  his  own  nature  is  called  the  constitutional  trans- 
mission mode.     It  is  as  follows  : 

God  made  Adam  with  a  perfectly  holy  mind,  and 
then  Adam  sinned  and  ruined  his  own  nature.  In 
consequence  of  this  act,  God  established  such  a  constitur 
tion  of  things  that  Adam  transmitted  his  depraved 
nature  to  all  his  posterity,  just  as  bodily  diseases 
are  transmitted  from  parents  to  children. 

In  this  way  man  is  said  to  be  the  author  of  his  own 
depraved  nature,  meaning,  by  man,  Adam, 

In  this  case  it  is  conceded  that  God  had  power  to 
make  such  a  constitution  of  things  as  that  all  human 
minds  would  begin  existence,  as  Adam  did,  with  per- 
fectly holy  minds,  and  that  instead  of  this,  he  chose 
that  such  a  depraved  nature  should  be  transmitted 
to  all  as  would  insure  universal  sin.  And  yet  it  is 
claimed  that  by  this  mode,  man,  and  not  God,  is 
shown  to  be  "  the  author  of  sin." 

This  is  the  mode  adopted  by  most  of  the  Andover 
and  New  Haven  theologians. 

Dr.  Edward  Beecher,  in  his  work  "  The  Conflict  of 
Ages,"  advocates  the  idea  that  man  ruined  his  own 
nature  in  a  preexistent  state  hefore  Adam.  But  the 
evidence  of  this  has  not  yet  been  presented. 

Thus  all  who  do  not  take  the  Catholic  mode  of 
mystery  and  sovereignty  maintain  that  man  made  his 
own  depravity  of  nature^  either  in  or  hy  or  before 
Adam. 

Condition  of  infants. 

The  most  difficult  point  of  all,  is  the  probable  con- 


16  DIFFICULTIES    INVOLVED    IN 

dition  of  infants  after  death.  On  tlie  Augustinian  theory 
they  all  have  been  ruined  in  nature  by  Adam's  sin, 
and  when  they  die,  go  with  this  depraved  nature  to 
their  final  state.  Augustine  acquired  the  name  of 
"  duribs  pater'''  (cruel  father)  because  he  was  consistent 
with  his  theory  and  taught  that  these  little  ones,  if 
unbaptized,  were  doomed  to  endless  torments. 

But  as  humanity  and  common  sense  have  gained 
ground  this  hideous  tenet  has  passed  away,  and  few 
are  now  found  who  do  not  sacrifice  consistency  to  hu- 
manity, and  allow  that  in  spite  of  their  total  deprav- 
ity, all  infants  go  directly  to  heaven  and  are  forever 
blessed.  Formerly  some  would  confine  this  favor  to 
the  "  elect  infants,"  others  to  the  infants  of  "  elect 
parents,"  but  few  are  found  at  this  day  who  venture  to 
teach  that  God  sends  even  one  new-born  being  to 
eternal  misery  for  Adam's  sin. 

The  difficulties  not  removed  hut  rather  increased  hy 
these  methods. 

But  the  difficulties  involved  in  the  Augustine  theory 
do  not  lie  in  the  mode  by  which  it  came  to  pass  that  all 
men  begin  existence  with  depraved  natures,  but  in  the 
fact,  that  God,  having  power  to  create  all  minds  as 
perfect  as  Adam's,  and  also  the  power  to  regenerate 
all,  has  chosen  not  to  do  so,  and  thus  has  preferred  the 
consequent  sin  and  misery  to  the  happiness  resulting 
from  making  perfect  minds. 

This  grand  difficulty  stands  entirely  unrelieved  by 
the  above  methods.  Nay  more,  they  all  serve  but  to 
increase  a  sense  of  the  folly  and  enormity  of  the  awful 
result,  and  to  present  our  Maker  as  the  cruel  cause  of 


THE     AUGUSTINIAN     THEORY.  17 

all  our  miseries,  and  the  fullest  and  most  awful  realiza- 
tion of  our  idea  of  a  perfectly  malevolent  being.* 

TllustroMon  of  the  Augustinian  Theory. 

The  following  illustrates  the  case,  though  but  very 
imperfectly,  inasmuch  as  any  finite  temporal  evils  are 
as  nothing  compared  to  the  eternal  torments  to  which 
are  assigned  all  of  our  race,  whose  ruined  nature  is 
not  regenerated  before  death. 

A  father  places  a  poison  in  the  way  of  his  wife, 
forbids  her  to  taste  it,  but  knows  she  will  do  so  and 
that  the  consequence  will  be  that  all  his  children  will 
be  born  blind. 

Then  he  places  the  children  thus  deprived  of  sight, 
in  a  dreadful  morass  filled  with  savage  beasts  and  aw- 
ful pitfalls,  with  a  narrow  and  difiicult  path  of  escape, 
which  it  is  certain  no  one  will  ever  find  without  sight. 
The  consequence  is,  that  a  large  part  of  his  children 
sink  into  the  pitfalls  and  perish. 

Then  he  justifies  himself  in  these  ways.  To  some 
he  says,  I  have  a  right  to  treat  my  children  as  I  please, 
and  I  allow  no  one  to  question  me  on  the  matter.  All 
that  I  do  is  right  and  benevolent,  and  you  must  not 
inquire  how  or  why. 

To  all  the  rest  he  says,  I  am  not  the  author  of  this 
evil,  it  is  the  mother  of  the  children  who  took  the 
poison  when  I  forbade  her  to  do  so.  She  either  made 
herself  blind  by  taking  the  poison,  and  then  trans- 
mitted the  evil  to  her  children  as  a  hereditary  boon, 
or  she  had  "  a  common  nature"  with  her  children  and 
ruined  all  together,  or  they  all  "sinned  in  her"  and 

*  The  theory  of  Dr.  E.  Beecher,  as  it  has  not  been  accepted  by  any 
denomination,  is  not  referred  to  here. 


18  THE    AUGUSTINIAN     THEORY 

became  blind  before  they  were  born.     And  so  I  am  not 
"  the  author  of  sin"  in  this  matter. 

To  intelligent  persons  not  educated  in  the  belief  of 
the  above  theory  of  Augustine,  and  of  these  modes  of 
explaining  the  diflaculties  connected  with  it,  this  ac- 
count of  the  matter  will  seem  so  incredible  and  mon- 
strous that  they  will  demand  evidence  that  the 
preceding  statements  are  true.  In  the  next  chapters 
this  evidence  will  be  presented. 


CHAPTER    V. 

THE  AUGUSTINIAN  THEORY  IN  CREEDS. 

The  preceding  chapters  have  presented  the  A'lgus- 
tinian  theory  of  "  the  origin  of  evil,"  and  certain  ques- 
tions connected  with  it  which  have  been  debated  by 
theologians  ;  also  the  difficulties  involved  in  the  theory, 
and  the  modes  of  meeting  these  difficulties. 

The  next  aim  will  be  to  verify  these  statements  by 
extracts  from  the  creeds  and  theologians  of  the  great 
Christian  sects. 

Creed  of  the  Catholic  Church, 

It  is  well  known  that  the  Catholic  organization  pre- 
ceded that  of  the  Protestant  sects.  It  is  also  well 
known  that  this  church  maintains  that  the  decisions 
of  her  pope  and  councils  are  infalliUe. 

The  following  extracts,  then,  from  the  decisions  of 
the  celebrated  Councils  of  Trent  at  the  period  of  the 
Reformation,  exhibit  the  theory  of  Augustine  incor- 
porated as  a  part  of  the  Roman  Catholic  creed : 


INCEEEDS.  19 

Extract  from  a  decree  of  the  CouTicil  of  Trent. 
"  In&nts  derive  from  Adam  that  original  guilt  which  must  be 
expiated  in  the  laver  of  regeneration  in  order  to  obtain  eternal 
life.     Adam  lost  the  purity  and  righteousness  which  he  received 
from  God,  not  for  himself  only  but  also  for  us." 

The  cateddsm  of  the  Council  of  Trent  says : 

"  The  pastor,  therefore,  will  not  omit  to  remind  the  faithful  that 
the  guilt  and  punishment  of  original  sin  were  not  confined  to 
Adam,  but  justly  descended  from  him,  their  source  and  cause,  to 
all  posterity.  Hence  a  sentence  of  condemnation  was  pronounced 
against  the  human  race  immediately  after  the  fall  of  Adam." 

The  celebrated  Jolin  Calvin,  one  of  tlie  greatest 
Protestant  theologians  at  the  period  of  the  Eeforma- 
tion,  wrote  a  complete  system  based  on  the  Angustinian 
theory.  This  system  has  been  perpetuated  in  all  the 
various  sects  which  from  him  are  named  Calvinistic, 
The  following  extract  gives  his  views  on  this  subject : 

John  Calvin. 

"  It  is  a  hereditary  depravity  and  corruption  of  our  nature,  dif- 
fused through  all  parts  of  the  soul,  which,  in  the  first  place,  ex- 
poses us  to  the  wrath  of  God,  and  then  produces  in  us  those  works 
which  the  Scripture  calls  the  works  of  the  flesh." 

Of  infants,  he  says : 

"  They  bring  their  condemnation  with  them  from  their  mother's 
womb,  being  hable  to  punishment,  not  for  the  sin  of  another,  but 
for  their  own.  For  although  they  have  not  as  yet  produced  the 
fruits  of  their  iniquity,  yet  they  have  the  seed  inclosed  in  them- 
selves ;  nay,  their  whole  nature  is,  as  it  were,  a  seed  of  sin ;  there- 
fore they  can  not  but  be  odious  and  abominable  to  God.  Whence 
it  follows  that  it  is  properly  considered  sin  before  God,  because 
there  could  not  be  liabihty  to  punishment  without  sin." 


20  THE     AUGUSTINIAN     THEORY 

"  The  corraption  of  nature  precedes  and  gives  rise  to  all  sinful 
acts,  and  is  in  itself  deserving  of  punishment." 

The  Westminster  Assembly  represented  the  Calvin- 
istic  sects  of  Great  Britain  near  the  "period  of  the 
Eeformation. 

The  confession  of  faith  and  catechisms  prepared  by 
them  have  ever  since  been  received  as  a  true  state- 
ment of  the  system  of  religious  doctrine,  as  held  by 
the  Presbyterian,  Congregational,  and  Calvinistic  Bap- 
tist denominations  in  Great  Britain  and  America.  The 
following  presents  the  Augustinian  theory,  as  contained 
in  their  creed: 

Westminster  Assemhly. 

"  A  corrupted  nature  was  conveyed  from  our  first  parents  to 
all  their  posterity.  From  this  original  corruption,  vrhereby  we 
are  utterly  indisposed,  disabled,  and  made  opposite  to  aU  good, 
and  wholly  inchned  to  all  evil,  do  proceed  all  actual  transgressions. 
Every  sin,  both  original  and  actual,  being  a  transgression  of  the 
righteous  law  of  Grod,  and  contrary  thereunto,  doth  in  its  own  na- 
ture bring. guilt  upon  the  sinner,  whereby  he  is  bound  over  to  the 
wrath  of  God  and  curse  of  the  law,  and  so  made  subject  to  death, 
with  all  miseries,  spiritual,  temporal  and  eternal." 

The  Episcopalians. 

The  following  from  the  Thirty-nine  Articles  of  the 
Church  of  England  presents  the  same  doctrine,  as 
held  by  the  Episcopalians  of  Great  Britain  and  Amer- 
ica : 

"  Original  sin  is  the  fault  and  corruption  of  the  nature  of  every 
man,  that  naturally  is  engendered  in  the  oflfepring  of  Adam; 
whereby  man  is  very  far  gone  from  original  righteousness,  and  is 
of  his  own  nature  inclined  to  evil — and  this  infection  of  nature 
doth  remain  in  the  regenerated." 


INCREEDS.  21 

"  The  condition  of  man  after  the  fall  of  Adam  is  such,  that  he 
can  not  turn  and  prepare  himself  (by  his  own  natural  strength 
and  good  works)  to  faith  and  caUing  upon  God.  Wherefore  we 
have  no  power  to  do  good  works  pleasant  and  acceptable  to  Grod, 
without  the  grace  of  God  by  Christ  preventing  us ;  that  we  may 
have  a  good  will,  and  working  with  us  when  we  have  that  good 
wiU." 

The  Methodists. 

In  the  Methodist  Quarterly  Eeview  for  July,  1857, 
the  editor,  in  speaking  of  the  works  of  Arminius, 
says,  p.  345,  "  Our  denomination,  whose  creed  agrees  so 
completely  with  the  teachings  of  this  learned,  accomplished 
and  holy  man,  is  bound  to  maintain  the  freshness  of 
his  precious  memory." 

In  the  same  article  are  the  following  extracts  from 
the  works  of  Arminius,  which,  on  so  good  authority, 
may  be  received  as  the  views  of  the  Methodist 
churches  on  this  topic : 

Arminiics. 

"The  will  of  man,  with  respect  to  true  good,  is  not  only 
wounded,  bruised,  crooked  and  attenuated,  but  is  likewise  cap- 
tivated, destroyed  and  lost,  and  has  no  powers  whatever,  except 
such  as  are  excited  by  grace. 

"  Adam,  by  sinning,  corrupted  himself  and  all  his  posterity,  and 
so  made  them  obnoxious  to  God's  wrath." 

"  Infants  have  rejected  the  grace  of  the  gospel  in  their  parents 
and  forefathers,  by  which  act  they  have  deserved  to  be  deserted 
by  God.  For  I  would  Uke  to  have  proof  adduced  how  all  pos- 
terity could  sin  in  Adam  against  law,  and  yet  infants,  to  whom 
the  gospel  is  offered  in  their  parents  and  rejected,  have  not  sinned 
against  the  grace  of  the  gospel." 

"  For  there  is  a  permanent  principle  in  the  covenant  of  God, 
that  children  should  be  comprehended  and  adjudged  in  their  pa 
rents." 


22  THE     AUGUSTINIAN     THEORY 

Watson,  the  leading  Arminian  theologian,  says  that 
in  the  doctrine  of  the  corruption  of  our  common  na- 
ture and  man's  natural  incapacity  to  do  good,  the  Ar- 
minians  and  Calvinists  so  well  agree,  "  that  it  is  an 
entire  delusion  to  represent  this  doctrine,  as  is  often 
done,  as  exclusively  Calvinistic." 

The  following  extracts  from  the  creeds  of  various 
European  bodies  of  Protestant  Christians  show  the 
same  doctrine.  The  Synod  of  Dort  was  a  great  coun- 
cil of  Protestant  divines  at  the  period  of  the  Reforma- 
tion. It  contained  representatives  from  most  of  the 
large  bodies  of  Protestants  in  Europe.  The  following 
gives  their  views  on  this  subject : 

Synod  of  Dort. 

"  Therefore  all  men  are  conceived  in  sm  and  born  the  chil- 
dren of  wrath,  disqualified  for  all  saving  good,  propense  to  evil, 
dead  in  sins,  the  slaves  of  sin ;  and  without  the  grace  of  the  regen- 
erating Holy  Spirit,  they  neither  are  willing  nor  able  to  return  to 
God,  to  correct  their  depraved  nature,  or  to  dispose  themselves  to 
the  correction  of  it." 

Confession  of  Helvetia. 

"  We  take  sin  to  be  that  natural  corruption  of  man  derived  or 
spread  from  those  our  parents  unto  us  all;  through  which  we, 
being  not  only  drowned  in  evil  concupiscences  and  clean  turned 
away  from  God,  but  prone  to  all  evil,  full  of  all  wickedness,  dis- 
trust, contempt  and  hatred  of  God,  can  do  no  good  of  ourselves — 
no,  not  so  much  as  think  of  any^ 

Confession  of  Belgia, 

''  We  believe  that,  through  the  disobedience  of  Adam,  the  sin 
tliat  is  called  original  hath  been  spread  and  poured  into  all  man- 
kind. Now  original  sin  is  a  corruption  of  the  whole  nature, 
and  an  hereditary  evil  wherewith  even  the  very  infants  in  their 


INCREEDS.  23 

mother's  womb  are  polluted :  tlie  wliich  also,  as  a  most  noisome 
root,  doth  branch  out  most  abundantly  all  kinds  of  sin  in  men, 
and  is  so  filthy  and  abominable  in  the  sight  of  Grod,  that  it  alone  is 
sufficient  to  the  condemnation  of  all  mankind." 

Confession  of  Bohemia.    ■ 

"  Original  sin  is  naturally  engendered  in  us  and  hereditary, 
wherein  we  are  all  conceived  and  born  into  this  world.  .  .  Let 
the  force  of  this  hereditary  destruction  be  acknowledged  and 
judged  of  by  the  guilt  and  fault  involved,  by  our  proneness  and 
declination  to  evil,  by  our  evil  nature,  and  by  the  punishment 
which  is  laid  upon  it. 

"  Actual  sins  are  the  fruits  of  original  sin,  and  do  burst  out 
within,  without,  privily  and  openly,  by  the  powers  of  man ;  that 
is,  by  all  that  ever  man  is  able  to  do,  and  by  his  members,  trans- 
gressing all  those  things  wliich  God  commandeth  and  forbiddeth, 
and  also  running  into  bhndness  and  errors  worthy  to  be  pimished 
with  all  kinds  of  damnation." 

French  Confession  {Protestant), 

"  Man's  nature  is  become  altogether  defiled,  and  being  bhnd  in 
spirit  and  corrupt  in  heart,  hath  utterly  lost  all  his  original  in- 
tegrity. "We  believe  that  all  the  ofispring  of  Adam  are  infected 
with  this  contagion,  which  we  caU  original  sin,  that  is  a  stain 
spreading  itself  by  propagation.  We  believe  that  this  stain  is  in- 
deed sin,  because  that  it  maketh  every  man  (not  so  much  as  those 
little  ones  excepted  which  as  yet  lie  hid  in  their  mother's  womb) 
deserving  of  eternal  death  before  God.  We  also  affirm  that  this 
stain,  even  after  baptism,  is  in  nature  sin." 

Moravian  Confession. 

"  This  innate  disease  and  original  sin  is  truly  sin,  and  condemns 
under  God's  eternal  wrath  all  those  who  are  not  born  again 
through  water  and  the  Holy  Ghost." 

The  preceding  is  sufficient  to  establish  the  unani- 
mous  agreement  of  Catholic  and  Protestant  creeds  and 


24       MODES    OF    MEETING    DIFFICULTIES 

confessions  in  maintaining  tlie  Augnstinian  theory  of 
the  depraved  nature  of  all  mankind  consequent  on  the 
sin  of  Adam,  as  it  has  been  set  forth  in  the  preceding 
chapters. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

MODES  OF  MEETING  DIFFICULTIES  BY  THEOLOGIANS. 

Having  presented  the  Augustinian  theory,  as  it  is 
set  forth  in  both  Catholic  and  Protestant  creeds,  the 
next  object  will  be  to  verify  the  statements  of  the 
preceding,  chapters  as  to  the  modes  of  meeting  difficulties 
adopted  by  theologians. 

The  first  extract  will  show  that  Augustine  taught 
that  all  men  had  a  common  nature  in  Adam,  so  that 
his  choosing  to  eat  the  forbidden  fruit  was  the  act  of 
each  and  all  human  minds  which  were  existing  in  or 
with  him  at  that  time.  And  thus  that  it  was  man  and 
not  God  that  caused  our  depravity  of  nature. 

The  extract  introduced  to  verify  the  above  was 
written  to  St.  Jerome,  who  taught  that  all  minds 
commenced  their  first  existence  at  or  near  the  birth  of 
each.  This  Augustine  denied,  and  the  passage  shows 
not  only  that  he  taught  a  common  nature  which  was 
ruined  in  Adam,  but  also  that  all  unbaptized  infants 
go  to  endless  punishment  for  the  sin  thus  committed 
in  Adam  ages  before  they  were  bom. 

AugustMs  Mode. 

"  How  can  so  many  thousands  of  souls  which  leave  the  bodies  of 
unbaptized  infants  be  with  any  equity  condemned,  if  they  were 


^ 


LI 


B  Y    T  H  E  O  L  O  G  I  A  N  SB'     ^'        O''  ^i. 

newly  created  and  introduced  into  these  bodl^  ^^^-^^  pre=?ieiis 
sins  of  their  own,  but  by  the  mere  will  of  him  ^^J^^fipeafted  them 
to  animate  these  bodies,  and  foreknew  that  each  ^"iitem,  for  no 
fault  of  his  own,  would  die  unbaptized  ?  Since,  then,  we  can  not 
say  that  God  either  makes  souls  sinful  by  compulsion,  or  punishes 
them  when  innocent,  and  yet  are  obliged  to  confess  that  the  souls 
of  the  little  ones  are  condemned  if  they  die  unbaptized,  I  beseech  yo  i 
tell  me  how  can  this  opinion  be  defended,  by  which  it  is  believed 
that  souls  are  not  aU  derived  from  that  one  first  man,  but  are 
newly  created  for  each  particular  body  ?" 

Thus  Augustine  supposed  that  he  escaped  the  charge 
of  making  God  the  author  of  sin  by  teaching  that  God 
created  all  the  souls  of  the  race  in  Adam,  so  that 
Adam's  sin  ruined  the  nature  of  himself  and  his  pos- 
terity all  at  one  stroke,  while  it  made  it  right  and  just 
to  send  all  unbaptized  infants  to  eternal  misery. 

The  next  extract  is  introduced  to  verify  the  state- 
ment made  as  to  the  Princeton  mode  of  making  man 
the  author  of  his  own  depraved  nature.  This  mode  is 
the  one  adopted  by  most  theologians  of  the  Old  School 
Presbyterian  church.  It  is  thus  set  forth  by  Dr.  Hodge, 
of  Princeton,  in  his  Commentary  on  Bomans : 

Princeton  Mode. 

"  The  great  fact  in  the  apostle's  mind  was,  that  God  regards  and 
treats  all  men,  from  the  first  moment  of  their  existence,  as  out  of 
fellowship  with  himself,  as  having  forfeited  his  favor.  Instead  of 
entering  into  communion  with  them  the  moment  they  begin  to 
exist  (as  he  did  with  Adam),  and  forming  them  by  his  Spirit  in 
his  own  moral  image,  he  regards  them  as  out  of  his  favor,  and 
withholds  the  influences  of  the  Spirit.  Why  is  this  ?  Why  does 
God  thus  deal  with  the  human  race  ?  Here  is  a  form  of  death 
which  the  violation  of  the  law  of  Moses,  the  transgression  of  the 
law  of  nature,  the  existence  of  innate  depravity,  separately  or 
combined,  are  insufficient  to  account  for.     Its  infliction  is  ante- 

2 


26         MODES    OF    MEETING    DIFFICULTIES 

cedent  to  them  all ;  and  yet  it  is  of  all  evils  the  essence  and  the 
sum.  Men  begin  to  exist  out  of  communion  with  Grod.  This  is 
the  fact  which  no  sophistry  can  get  out  of  the  Bible  or  the  history 
of  the  world.  Paul  tells  us  why  it  is.  It  is  because  we  fell  in 
Adam ;  it  is  for  the  offense  of  one  man  that  all  thus  die.  The 
covenant  being  formed  with  Adam,  not  only  for  himself  but  also 
for  his  posterity — ^in  other  words,  Adam  having  being  placed  on 
trial,  not  for  himself  only,  but  also  for  his  race,  his  act  was,  in  vir- 
tue of  this  relation,  regarded  as  our  act. 

"God  withdrew  from  us  as  he  did  from  him ;  in  consequence 
or"this  withdrawal,  we  begin  to  exist  in  moral  darkness,  destitute 
of  a  disposition  to  delight  in  God,  and  prone  to  delight  in  ourselves 
and  the  world.  The  sin  of  Adam,  therefore,  ruined  us ;  was  the 
ground  of  the  withdrawing  of  the  divine  favor  from  the  whole  race. 
But  such  evil  was  inflicted  before  the  giving  of  the  Mosaic  law ; 
it  comes  on  men  before  the  transgression  of  the  law  of  nature,  or 
even  the  existence  of  inherent  depravity.  It  must,  therefore,  be 
for  the  offense  of  one  man  that  judgment  has  come  upon  all  men 
to  condemnation." 

Constitutional  Transmission  Mode. 

Dr.  DwigTit's  system  of  fheology  is  regarded  as  the 
fairest  exhibition  of  the  theological  opinions  of  the 
majority  of  the  New  England  Congregational  clergy. 

"While  the  Catholic  mode,  as  taught  by  Dr.  Woods 
so  many  years  at  Andover,  is  probably  adopted  by 
many,  the  views  of  Dr.  Dwight,  and  his  successor,  Dr. 
Taylor,  on  the  point  nnder  consideration,  are  taught 
now  both  at  the  Andover  and  New  Haven  seminaries, 
and  probably  are  adopted  by  the  great  majority  of 
the  clergy  in  the  Congregational  and  New  School 
Presbyterian  denominations. 

These  theologians  maintain  that  man  is  the  author 
of  his  own  depraved  nature  in  this  way.  Adam 
sinned  and  ruined  his  own  nature,  and  then,  in  con- 
sequence of  this  sin,  God  instituted  such  a  constitution 


BY     THEOLOGIANS.  27 

of  things^  that  tliis  ruined  nature  has  been  transmitted 
to  all  his  posterity,  after  the  same  manner  as  bodily 
diseases  are  transmitted  from  parent  to  child.  This 
constitution  also  was  established  when  God  had  the 
power  to  bestow  on  each  human  mind  the  same  "  holy 
nature"  which  he  gave  to  Adam.  The  following  from 
Dr.  Dwight  sustains  this  statement : 

"  The  corruption  of  mankind  exists  in  consequence  of  the  apos- 
tacy  of  Adam.  By  means  of  the  offense  or  transgression  of  Adam, 
the  judgment  or  sentence  of  God  came  upon  all  men  unto  con- 
demnation, because,  and  solely  because  all  men  in  that  state  of 
tilings  which  was  constituted  in  consequence  of  the  transgression  of 
Adam,  became  sinners." 

That  is  to  say,  God  having  the  power  to  majke  all 
men  with  minds  as  perfect  as  Adam's  before  his  fall, 
on  account  of  Adam's  sin  constituted  a  state  of  things 
that  would  insure  the  universal  sinfulness  of  the  whole 
race. 

Dr.  Taylor,  the  successor  of  Dr.  Dwight  as  head  of 
the  New  Haven  school  of  divines,  l;eaches  thus : 

"  Men  are  entirely  depraved  by  nature.  I  do  not  mean  that 
their  nature  is  in  itself  sinful,  nor  that  their  nature  is  the  physi- 
cal or  efficient  cause  of  their  sinning ;  but  I  mean  that  their  na- 
ture is  the  occasion  or  reason  of  their  sinning — that  such  is  their 
nature,  that  in  all  the  appropriate  circumstances  of  their  being  they 
win  sin  and  only  sin," 

He  further  states : 

"  That  sin  is  by  nature  owing  to  propensities  to  inferior  good, 
with  a  difference  between  Adam's  mind  and  ours  (though  we 
can  not  assert  that  in  which  this  difference  may  consist)  ;  that  our 
propensities  are  the  same  in  kind,  though  different  in- degree,  from 
those  of  Adam ;  that  perhaps  this  distinction  may  consist  in  men- 


28        MODES    OF    MEETING    DIFFICULTIES 

tal  diflferenoes — or  in  superior  tendencies,  compared  with  Adam's, 
to  natural  good,  and  less  tendency  to  the  highest  good." 

Thus,  on  account  of  the  first  sin  of  the  first  pair, 
God  constituted  such  a  state  of  things,  that  instead  of 
perfect  minds,  such  as  God  gave  to  the  angels  and 
to  Adam,  all  men  receive  such  "  a  nature"  as  insures 
*'  sin  and  only  sin,"  until  regeneration  takes  place. 

The  next  extracts  will  verify  the  statements  made 
as  to  the  mode  adopted  by  Catholic  theologians. 

Catholic  Mode. 

The  Catholic  mode  is  that  of  mystery  and  sovereignty^ 
and  is  based  on  the  assumption  that  the  mind  of  man, 
being  utterly  depraved,  has  no  capacity  to  judge  of 
what  is  right  and  wrong. 

According  to  this,  the  most  abominable  and  horri- 
Dle  crimes  are  to  be  considered  virtues  if  God  should 
commit  them,  or  should  teach  us  that  they  are  so. 

Among  the  most  distinguished  of  the  Catholic  theo- 
logians is  the  learned  Abelard,  who  teaches  thus : 

"  Would  it  not  be  deemed  the  summit  of  injustice  among  men, 
if  any  one  should  cast  an  innocent  son,  for  the  sin  of  a  father, 
into  those  flames,  even  if  they  endured  but  a  short  time  ?  How 
much  more  so  if  eternal  ?  Truly  I  confess  this  would  be  unjust  in 
men,  because  they  are  forbidden  to  avenge  even  their  own  real 
injuries.  But  it  is  not  so  in  Grod,  who  says,  '  Vengeance  is  mine, 
I  will  repay ;'  and  again,  in  another  place,  '  I  will  kill  and  I  wiU 
make  alive.'  Now  God  commits  no  injustice  towards  his  crea- 
ture in  whatever  way  he  treats  him — ^whether  he  assigns  him  to 
punishment  or  to  life.  ...  In  whatever  way  Grod  may  wish 
to  treat  his  creature,  he  can  be  accused  of  no  injustice ;  nor  can 
any  thing  be  called  evil  in  any  way  if  it  is  done  according  to  his 
will  Nor  can  we  in  any  other  way  distinguish  good  from  evil, 
except  by  noticing  what  is  agreeable  to  his  will." 


BY    THEOLOGIANS.  29 

Another  celebrated  Catliolic  theologian,  ''  the  good 
Pascal,"  thus  disparages  our  natural  sense  of  justice  as 
"  wretched,"  and  of  no  account  before  this  awful  doc- 
trine. 

"  What  can  be  more  contrary  to  the  rules  of  our  wretched  jus- 
tice than  to  damn  eternally  an  infant  incapable  of  volition,  for  an 
oflFense  in  which  he  seems  to  have  nad  no  share,  and  which  was 
committed  six  thousand  years  before  he  was  born?  Certainly 
nothing  strikes  us  niore  rudely  than  this  doctrine ;  and  yet  with- 
out this  mystery,  the  most  incomprehensible  of  all,  we  are  incom- 
prehensible to  ourselves." 

Thus  it  is  seen  that  Pascal  concedes  it  as  a  truth  that 
infants  are  to  be  eternally  damned  for  offenses  in 
which  they  "  seem  to  have  no  share,"  and  that  our 
sense  of  justice,  which  revolts  from  it,  is  "  wreicliedr 

The  Andover  Theological  Seminary  was  the  first 
one  established  in  New  England  for  educating  minis- 
ters, and  for  nearly  half  a  century  Dr.  "Woods  filled 
the  leading  theological  chair.  The  following  is  intro- 
duced, from  the  Conflict  of  Ages,  to  verify  the  state- 
ment that  the  Catholic  mode  of  mystery  and  sovereignty 
was  the  method  adopted  by  him  in  training  the  clergy 
of  New  England  on  this  subject. 

"  He  [Dr.  Woods]  expressly  teaches  that  there  is  in  the  nature 
of  man,  anterior  to  knowledge  or  choice,  a  proneness  or  propen- 
sity to  sin,  which  is  in  its  own  nature  sinful,  '  the  essence  of  moral 
evil,  the  sum  of  all  that  is  vile  and  hateful'  He  also  teaches  that 
Grod  inflicts  this  '  tremendous  calamity'  on  all  men  for  the  sin  of 
one  man.  '  This,'  he  says,  '  has  been  the  belief  of  the  church  in 
all  ages.' 

"  He  then  asks,  '  But  how  is  this  proceeding  just  to  Adam's 
posterity?  What  have  they  done,  before  they  commit  sin,  to 
merit  pain  and  death  ?  What  have  they  done  to  merit  the  evil 
of  existing  without  original  righteousness,  and  with  a  nature  prone 


80       MODES    OF    MEETING    DIFFICULTIES. 

to  sin  ?  Here/  he  says,  '  our  wisdom  fails.  We  apply  in  vain  to 
human  reason  or  human  consciousness  for  an  answer.'  Nay  more  ; 
he  even  admits  that  such  conduct  is  '  contrary  to  the  dictates  of  our 
faUihle  minds.^  Yet  he  still  insists  that  we  ought  not  to  judge  at 
all  in  the  case,  but  to  beheve  that  it  is  right  because  God  has 
done  it.  '  God  has  not  made  us  judges.  The  case  hes  wholly  out 
of  our  province.  It  is  a  doctrine  which  is  not  to  be  brought  for 
trial  to  the  bar  of  human  reason.  Mere  natural  reason,  mere  phi- 
losophy or  metaphysical  sagacity  transcends  its  just  bounds,  and 
commits  a  heinous  sacrilege,  when  it  attacks  tliis  primary  article 
of  our  faith,  and  labors  to  distort  it,  to  undermine  it,  or  to  expose 
its  truth  or  its  importance  to  distrust.'  " 

The  preceding  serves  to  establish  the  correctness  of 
the  writer's  statements  as  to  the  modes  of  meeting  dif- 
ficulties adopted  by  theologians. 

In  the  next  chapter  we  shall  see  that  none  of  these 
methods  prove  satisfactory  even  to  theologians  them- 
selves. 


CHAPTEE    YII. 

THEOLOGIANS  THEMSELVES   CONCEDE   THE  AUGUS- 
TINIAN  DOGMAS  INDEFENSIBLE. 

Although  each  theologian  claims  that  the  mode  of 
meeting  difficulties  adopted  by  his  school  is  satisfac- 
tory, yet  as  each  maintains  that  all  other  modes  are 
unavailing,  it  comes  to  pass  that  a  majority  of  theolo- 
gians declare  each  attempt  to  make  the  Augustinian 
dogma  consistent  with  the  moral  sense  of  humanity  an 
utter  failure. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  Catholic  mode  is  not  to 
attempt  to  defend  the  dogma.    It  is  "  decreed"  by 


THESE    DOGMAS    INDEFENSIBLE.        31 

"the  cliiirch,"  which  is  the  only  infallible  interpreter 
of  God's  Word,  to  be  in  the  Bible,  and  it  is  to  be  re- 
ceived, like  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  as  an 
inscrutable  mystery.  This  is  the  mode  also  adopted 
by  Dr.  Woods  and  many  other  Protestants. 

The  following  from  the  Princeton  theologians  pre- 
sents their  protest  against  this  Catholic  method.  They 
perceive  that  if  they  allow  it  in  this  case,  they  have  no 
excuse  for  denying  the  validity  of  the  Catholic  defense 
of  transubstantiation.  And  so  they  proceed  to  claim 
that  imputing  to  children  sins  that  they  never  com- 
mitted, and  thus  involving  them  in  endless  misery,  is 
the  true  mode,  while  the  Catholic  one  is  vain. 

Tlie  Princeton  Mode  agamst  the  Catholic  Mode. 
'    The  Princeton  Eeviewers,  in  opposing  the  Catholic 
mode,  as  defended  by  Dr.  Woods,  say  : 

'•  How  is  it  to  be  reconciled  with  tlie  divine  character  that  the 
fate  of  unborn  millions  should  depend  on  an  act  over  which  they 
had  not  the  sKghtest  control,  and  in  which  they  had  no  agency  ? 
This  difficulty  presses  the  opponents  of  the  doctrine  (of  imputa- 
tion) more  heavily  than  its  advocates.  God  must  produce  such 
results  either  on  the  ground  of  justice  or  of  sovereignty.  The  de- 
fenders of  imputation  take  the  ground  of  justice — ^their  opponents 
that  of  sovereignty. 

"  Is  it  more  congenial  with  the  unsophisticated  moral  feelings  of 
men  that  God,  out  of  his  mere  sovereignty,  should  determine  that 
because  one  man  sinned  all  men  should  sin,  that  because  one  man 
forfeited  his  favor  all  men  should  incur  his  curse,  or  because  one 
man  sinned  all  should  be  born  with  a  contaminated  moral  nature, 
than  that,  in  virtue  of  a  most  benevolent  constitution  by  which  one 
was  made  the  representative  of  the  race,  the  punishment  of  the  one 
should  come  upon  all  ?" 

That  is  to  say,  they  affirm  interrogatively  that  im- 


32  THE     AUGUSTINIAN     DOGMAS 

puting  sins  to  innocent  beings  that  thej  never  com- 
mitted, as  the  ground  of  pei^al  inflictions,  is  a  better 
defense  of  God  from  the  charge  of  being  the  author 
of  sin  and  of  cruel  injustice  than  the  Catholic  mode 
of  sovereignty  and  mystery.  At  the  same  time  they  dis- 
card the  constitutional  transmission  mode  of  Andover 
and  New  Haven. 

The  following  from  President  Edwards  the  younger, 
gives  the  argument  of  a  constitutional  transmission  di- 
vine against  the  imputation  mode. 

The  Transmission  Mode  against  the  Imputation  Mode. 

".The  common  doctrine  has  been,  that  Adam's  posterity,  unless 
saved  by  Christ,  are  damned  on  account  of  Adam's  sin,  and  that 
this  is  just,  because  his  sin  is  imputed  or  transferred  to  them.  By 
imputation  his  sin  becomes  their  si'T. 

"  When  the  justice  of  such  a  transfer  is  de:T'..anded,  it  is  said 
that  the  constitution  which  God  has  established  makes  the  transfer 
just. 

"  To  this  it  may  be  replied,  that  the  same  way  it  may  be  proved 
just  to  damn  a  man  without  any  sin  at  aU,  either  personal  or  im- 
puted. We  need  only  to  resolve  it  into  a  sovereign  constitution  of 
God." 

The  Andover  and  New  Haven  theologians  regard 
both  the  Catholic  and  the  Princeton  modes  as  utterly 
Linsatisfactory,  and  offer  instead  the  mode  of  constitu- 
tional transmission  as  relieving  the  difficulties. 

But  Dr.  Woods  thus  argues  the  case  against  them, 
and  appeals  powerfully  to   "intelligent  and  candid 


Dr.  Woods  in  behalf  of  the  Catholic  Mode  against  the 
Constitutional  Transmission  Mode. 

"  And  is  there  not  just  as  much  reason  to  urge  this  objection 
against  the  theory  just  named?     Its  advocates  hold  that  God 


CONCEDED  TO  BE  INDEFENSIBLE.   83 

brings  the  whole  human  race  into  existence  without  holiness,  and 
with  such  propensities  and  in  such  circumstances  as  will  certainly- 
lead  them  into  sin ;  and  that  he  brings  them  into  this  fearful  con- 
dition in  consequence  of  the  sin  of  their  first  father,  without  any 
fault  of  their  own.  Now,  as  far  as  the  divine  justice  or  goodness 
is  concerned,  what  great  difference  is  there  between  our  being 
depraved  at  first,  and  being  in  such  circumstances  as  will  certainly- 
lead  to  depravity  the  moment  moral  action  begins  ?  Will  not  the 
latter  as  infaUibly  bring  about  our  destruction  as  the  former  ?  And 
how  is  it  more  compatible  with  the  justice  or  the  goodness  of 
God  to  put  us  into  one  of  these  conditions  than  into  the  other, 
when  they  are  both  equally  fatal  ?  It  is  said  that  our  natural  ap- 
petites and  propensities  and  our  outward  circumstances  do  not 
lead  uainto  sin  by  any  absolute  or  physical  necessity ;  but  they 
do  in  ail  cases  certainly  lead  us  into  sin,  and  God  knows  that  they 
will  when  he  appoints  them  for  us.  Now,  how  can  our  merciful 
Father  voluntarily  place  us,  while  feeble,  helpless  infants,  in  such 
circumstances  as  he  knows  beforehand  will  be  the  certain  occasion 
of  our  sin.  and  ruin  ?  .  .  What  difference  does  it  make,  either 
as  to  God's  character,  or  the  result  of  his  proceedings,  whether  he 
constitutes  us  sinners  at  first,  or  knowingly  places  us  in  such  cir- 
cumstances that  we  shall  certainly  become  sinners,  and  that  very 
soon?  Must  not  God's  design  as  to  our  being  sinners  be  tJie 
same  irf  one  case  as  in  the  other ;  and  must  not  the  final  result 
be  the  same  ?  Is  not  one  of  these  states  of  mankind  fraught 
with  as  many  and  as  great  evils  as  the  other  ?  What  ground  of 
preference  then  would  any  man  have  ?     .     .    . 

"Let  intelligent,  candid  men,  who  do  not  believe  either  of  these 
schemes,  say  whether  one  of  them  is  not  open  to  as  many  objec- 
tions as  the  other." 

The  idea  of  a  preexistence  of  tlie  race  hefore  Adam, 
is  not  lield  by  any  denomination. 

Thus  it  appears  that  whenever  any  person  claims 
that  each  of  these  attempts  to  make  the  Augustine 
theory,  as  held  by  the  great  Christian  sects,  consistent 
with  the  moral  sense  of  humanity  is  an  utter  failure, 

2* 


34  OONTKARY     TO     THE     MORAL 

he  is  sustained  by  a  majority  of  the  most  learned  and 
acute  theologians  of  our  age  and  nation. 


CHAPTER    YIII. 

THE  AUGUSTINIAJSr  THEORY  CONTRARY  TO  THE  MORAL 
SENSE  OF  MANKIND. 

Having  presented  evidence  that  both  Catholics  and 
Protestants  of  Europe  and  America  unite  in  ln)lding 
the  Augustinian  theory  of  the  origin  of  evil,  and  also 
that  theologians  themselves  find  it  indefensible,  the 
next  aim  will  be  to  present  a  portion  of  the  evidence 
to  show  that  this  sj'stem  is  at  war  with  the  moral  feel- 
ings and  common  sense  of  mankind. 

There  are  remains  of  the  writings  of  those  who  were 
the  opposers  of  this  theory  in  the  time  of  Augustine, 
which  show  the  strong  emotions  called  forth  at  that 
remote  period  by  the  introduction  of  this  doctrine. 

The  following  is  from  one  of  the  theologians  of  that 

day,  addressed  to  the  author  of  the  theory  : 

• 
Julian  to  Augustine. 

"  The  children,  you  say,  do  not  bear  the  blame  of  their  own, 
but  of  another's  sins.  What  sort  of  sin  can  that  be  ?  What  an 
unfeeling  wretch,  cruel,  forgetful  of  Grod  and  of  righteousness,  an 
inhuman  barbarian,  is  he  who  would  make  such  innocent  crea- 
tures as  little  children  bear  the  consequences  of  transgressions 
which  they  never  committed,  and  never  could  commit?  God, 
you  answer.  What  god  ?  For  there  are  gods  many  dnd  lords 
many ;  but  we  worship  but  one  God  and  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
What  God  dost  thou  make  the  malefactor  ?    Here,  most  holy 


SENSE     OF     MANKIND.  85 

priest  and  most  learned  orator,  thou  fabricatest  something  more 
mournful  and  frightful  than  the  brimstone  in  the  valley  of  Am- 
sanctus.  God  himself,  say  you,  who  commendeth  his  love  to- 
wards us,  who  even  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  hath  given  him 
up  for  us  all,  he  so  determines — he  is  himself  the  persecutor  of 
those  that  are  bom.  He  himself  consigns  to  eternal  fire  for  an 
evil  will,  the  children  who,  as  he  knows,  can  have  neither  a  good 
nor  an  evil  wUl." 

The  following  is  from  the  celebrated  Dr.  Watts, 
whose  sacred  lyrics  endear  his  name  to  the  Christian 
world : 

Dr.  Watts. 

"  This  natural  propagation  of  sinful  inchnations  from  a  common 
parent,  by  a  law  of  creation,  seems  difficult  to  be  reconciled  with 
the  goodness  and  justice  of  God.  It  seems  exceeding  hard  to  sup- 
pose that  such  a  righteous  and  holy  God,  the  Creator,  who  is  also 
a  being  of  such  infinite  goodness,  should,  by  a  powerful  law  and 
order  of  creation,  which  is  now  called  nature,  appoint  young,  in- 
telligent creatures  to  come  into  being  in  such  unhappy  and  de- 
generate circumstances,  hable  to  such  intense  pains  and  miseries, 
and  under  such  powerfiil  tendencies  and  propensities  to  evil,  by 
the  mere  law  of  propagation^  as  should  almost  unavoidably  expose 
them  to  ten  thousand  actual  sins,  and  all  this  before  they  have  any 
personal  sin  or  guilt  to  deserve  it. 

"  If  it  could  be  well  made  out  that  the  whole  race  of  mankind 
are  partakers  of  sinful  inchnations,  and  evil  passions,  and  biases 
to  vice,  and  also  are  exposed  to  many  sharp  actual  sufierings  and 
to  death,  merely  and  only  by  the  original  divine  law  of  propaga- 
tion from  their  parents  who  had  sinned ;  and,  if  the  justice  and 
goodness  of  God  could  be  vindicated  in  maJcing  and  maintaining 
such  a  dreadful  law  or  order  of  propagation  through  six  thousand 
years,  we  have  no  need  of  fiirther  inquiries,  but  might  here  be  at 
rest.  But,  if  the  scheme  be  so  injurious  to  the  goodness  and 
equity  of  God  as  it  seems  to  be,  then  we  are  constrained  to  seek 
a  Kttle  further  for  a  satisfactory  account  of  tliis  universal  degen- 
eracy and  misery  of  mankind." 


36  CONTRARY     TO     THE     MORAL 

The  following  was  written  by  an  American  divine 
at  the  time  of  the  commencement  of  the  conflict  in 
this  country  between  the  Old  and  New  School  Calvin- 
ists.  At  that  time  this  theory  of  a  depraved  nature 
was  accompanied,  even  in  pulpit  teachings,  by  the  as- 
sumption of  man's  total  inability  to  do  any  thing  to 
gain  salvation,  and  that  Christ  died,  not  for  all  men, 
but  only  for  "  the  elect." 

Br.  Whelpley. 

"  The  idea  that  all  the  numerous  millions  of  Adam's  posterity- 
deserve  the  ineffable  and  endless  torments  of  hell  for  a  single  act 
of  his,  before  any  one  of  them  existed,  is  repugnant  to  that  reason 
that  God  has  given  us,  and  is  subversive  of  all  possible  conceptions 
of  justice.  I  hesitate  not  to  say,  that  no  scheme  of  religion  ever 
propagated  amongst  men  contains  a  more  monstrous,  a  more  hor 
rible  tenet.  The  atrocity  of  this  doctrine  is  beyond  comparison. 
The  visions  of  the  Koran,  the  fictions  of  Sadder,  the  fables  of  the 
Zendavesta,  all  give  place  to  this ;  Rabbinical  legends,  Brahminical 
vagaries,  all  vanish  before  it." 

"  The  vrhole  of  their  doctrine,  then,  amounts  to  this :  that  a  man 
is  in  the  first  place  condemned,  incapacitated,  and  eternally  repro- 
bated for  the  sin  of  Adam ;  in  the  next  place,  that  he  is  condenmed 
over  again  for  not  doing  what  he  is  totally  and  in  all  respects  un- 
able to  do ;  and  in  the  third  place  that  he  is  condemned,  doubly 
and  trebly  condemned,  for  not  believing  in  a  Saviour  v7ho  never 
died  for  him,  and  with  whom  he  has  no  more  to  do  than  a  fallen 
angel." 

The  elder  President  Adams  at  first  designed  to  en- 
ter the  clerical  profession,  but  was  deterred  by  doc- 
trinal difficulties,  of  which  he  thus  writes : 

John  Adams. 

"  If  one  man,  or  being,  out  of  pure  generosity,  and  without  any 
expectation  of  return,  is  about  to  confer  any  favor  or  emolument 


SENSE     OF     MANKIND.  87 

upon  atiother,  he  has  a  right  and  is  at  liberty  to  choose  in  what 
manner  and  by  what  means  to  confer  it.  He  may  confer  the  fa- 
vor by  his  own  hand  or  by  the  hand  of  a  servant ;  and  the  obli- 
gation to  gratitude  is  equally  strong  upon  the  benefited  being. 
The  mode  of  bestowing  does  not  diminish  the  kindness,  provided 
the  commodity  or  good  is  brought  to  us  equally  perfect  and  with- 
out our  expense.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  if  one  being  is  the 
original  cause  of  pain,  sorrow,  or  suffering  to  another,  voluntarily 
and  without  provocation,  it  is  injurious  to  that  other,  whatever 
means  he  might  employ,  and  whatever  circumstances  the  convey- 
ance of  the  injury  might  be  attended  with.  Thus  we  are  equally 
obliged  to  the  Supreme  Being  for  the  information  he  has  given  us 
of  our  duty,  whether  by  the  constitution  of  our  minds  or  bodies, 
or  by  a  supernatural  revelation.  For  an  instance  of  the  latter, 
let  us  take  original  sin.  Some  say  that  Adam's  sin  was  enough  to 
damn  the  whole  human  race,  without  any  actual  crknes  committed 
by  any  of  them.  Now  this  guilt  is  brought  upon  them,  not  by 
their  own  rashness  and  indiscretion,  not  by  their  own  wickedness 
and  vice,  but  by  the  Supreme  Being.  This  guilt  brought  upon 
us  is  a  real  injury  and  misfortune,  because  it  renders  us  worse  than 
not  to  be ;  and  therefore  making  us  guilty  on  account  of  Adam's 
delegation,  or  representing  all  of  us,  is  not  in  the  least  diminish- 
ing the  injury  and  injustice,  but  only  changing  the  mode  of  con- 
veyance." 

The  celebrated  Dr.  Channing  was  educated  a  Cal- 
vinist.  The  following  exhibits  his  views  on  this  sub- 
ject, after  embracing  Unitarianism : 

Dr,  Channing. 

He  says  of  such  views  : 

"  They  take  from  us  our  Father  in  heaven,  and  substitute  a 
stem  and  unjust  Lord.  Our  fihal  love  and  reverence  rise  up 
against  them.  We  say,  touch  any  thing  but  the  perfections  of 
God.  Cast  no  stain  on  that  spotless  purity  and  loveliness.  We 
can  endure  any  errors  but  those  which  subvert  or  unsettle  the 
conviction  of  God's  paternal  goodness.     Urge  not  upon  us  a  sys' 


88  CONTRARY     TO     THE     MORAL. 

tem  which  makes  existence  a  curse,  and  wraps  the  universe  in 
gloom.  If  I  and  my  beloved  friends  and  my  whole  race  have 
come  from  the  hands  of  our  Creator  wholly  depraved,  irresistibly 
propense  to  all  evil  and  averse  to  all  good — ^if  only  a  portion  are 
chosen  to  escape  from  this  miserable  state,  and  if  the  rest  are  to 
be  consigned,  by  the  Being  who  gave  us  our  depraved  and  wretched 
nature,  to  endless  torments  in  inextinguishable  flames — then  do  I 
think  that  nothing  remains  but  to  mourn  in  anguish  of  heart;  then 

existence  is  a  curse,  and  the  Creator  is .     O,  my  merciful 

.Father !  I  can  not  speak  of  thee  in  the  language  which  this  sys- 
tem would  suggest.  No !  thou  has^  been  too  kind  to  me  to  de- 
serve this  reproach  from  my  lips.  Thou  hast  created  me  to  be 
happy;  thou  callest  me  to  virtue  and  piety,  because  in  these  con- 
sists my  felicity ;  and  thou  wilt  demand  nothing  from  me  but  what 
thou  givest  me  abihty  to  perform  1" 

The  following  is  from  the  pen  of  a  celebrated  writer 
educated  in  the  Baptist  denomination,  who  finally  be- 
came a  Universalist : 

John  Foster, 

"  I  acknowledge  my  inabihty  (I  would  say  it  reverently)  to  ad- 
mit tliis  behef  together  with  a  belief  in  the  divine  goodness — the 
behef  that  '  God  is  love,'  that  his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his 
works.  Goodness,  benevolence,  charity,  as  ascribed  in  supreme 
perfection  to  him,  can  not  mean  a  quality  foreign  to  all  human 
conceptions  of  goodness.  It  must  be  something  analogous  in 
principle  to  what  himself  has  defined  and  required  as  goodness 
in  his  moral  creatures,  that,  in  adoring  the  divine  goodness,  we 
may  not  be  worshiping  an  'unknown  God.'  But,  if  so,  how 
would  all  our  ideas  be  confounded  while  contemplating  him  bring- 
ing, of  his  own  sovereign  will,  a  race  of  creatures  into  existence  in 
such  a  condition  that  they  certainly  will  and  must — must  by  their 
nature  and  circumstances — go  wrong  and  be  miserable,  unless  pre- 
vented by  especial  grace,  which  is  the  privilege  of  only  a  small 
portion  of  them,  and  at  the  same  time  affixing  on  their  delinquency 
a  doom  of  which  it  is  infinitely  beyond  the  highest  archangel's 
faculty  to  apprehend  a  thousandth  part  of  the  horror. 


SENSE     OF     MANKIND.  39 

"  It  amazes  me  to  imagine  how  thoughtful  and  benevolent  men, 
believing  that  doctrine,  can  endure  the  sight  of  the  present  world 
and  the  history  of  the  past.  To  behold  successive,  innumerable 
crowds  carried  on  in  the  mighty  impulse  of  a  depraved  nature, 
which  they  are  impotent  to  reverse,  and  to  which  it  is  not  the  will 
of  Grod,  in  his  sovereignty,  to  apply  the  only  adequate  power,  the 
withholding  of  which  consigns  them  inevitably  to  their  doom  ; 
to  see  them  passing  through  a  short  term  of  moral  existence  (ab- 
surdly sometimes  denominated  a  probation)  under  all  the  world's 
pernicious  influences,  with  the  addition  of  the  mahgn  and  deadly 
one  of  the  great  tempter  and  destroyer,  to  confirm  and  augment 
the  inherent  depravity,  on  their  speedy  passage  to  everlasting 
woe ; — I  repeat,  I  am,  without  pretending  to  any  extraordinary 
depth  of  feeling,  amazed  to  conceive  what  they  contrive  to  do  with 
their  sensibility,  and  in  what  manner  they  maintain  a  firm  assur- 
ance of  the  divine  goodness  and  justice." 

The  following  is  the  experience  of  the  author  of  the 
Conflict  of  Ages : 

Dr.  Edward  Beecher. 

"  If  any  one  would  know  the  fiill  worth  of  the  privilege  of 
living  under,  worshiping,  loving  and  adoring  a  God  of  honor, 
righteousness  and  love,  let  him,  after  years  of  joyful  Christian  ex- 
perience and  soul-satisfying  communion  with  Grod,  at  last  come  to 
a  point  where  his  lovely  character,  for  a  time,  vanishes  fi-om  his 
eyes,  and  nothing  can  be  rationally  seen  but  a  God  selfish,  dishon- 
orable, unfeeling.  No  such  person  can  ever  believe  that  God  is 
such ;  but  he  may  be  so  situated  as  to  be  unable  rationally  to  see 
liim  in  any  other  light.  All  the  common  modes  of  defending  the 
doctrine  of  native  depravity  may  have  been  examined  and  pro- 
nounced insufl&cient,  and  the  question  may  urgently  press  itself 
upon  the  mind.  Is  not  the  present  system  a  malevolent  one  ?  and 
of  it  no  defense  may  appear. 

"  Who  can  describe  the  gloom  of  hira  who  looks  on  such  a 
prospect  ?  How  dark  to  him  appears  the  history  of  man !  He 
looks  with  pity  on  the  children  that  pass  him  in  the  street.  The 
more  violent  manifestations  of  their  depravity  seem  to  be  the  un- 


40  CONTRARY    TO    THE     MORAL 

foldings  of  a  corrupt  nature  given  to  them  by  God  before  any 
knowledge,  choice  or  consent  of  their  own.  Mercy  now  seems  to 
be  no  mercy,  and  he  who  once  delighted  to  speak  of  the  love  of 
Christ  is  obliged  to  close  his  lips  in  silence ;  for  the  original  wrong 
of  giving  man  such  a  nature  seems  so  great  that  no  subsequent 
acts  can  atone  for  the  deed.  In  this  state  of  mind,  he  who  once 
delighted  to  pray,  kneels  and  rises  again,  because  he  can  not  sin- 
cerely worship  the  only  God  whom  he  sees.  His  distress  is  not 
on  his  own  account.  He  feels  that  God  has  redeemed  and  regen- 
erated him ;  but  this  gives  him  no  relief.  He  feels  as  if  he  could 
not  be  bribed  by  the  offer  of  all  the  honora  of  the  universe  to  pre- 
tend to  worsliip  or  praise  a  God  whose  character  he  can  not  de- 
fend. He  feels  that  he  should  infinitely  prefer  once  more  to  see 
a  God  whom  he  could  honorably  adore,  and  a  universe  radiant 
with  his  glory,  and  then  to  sink  into  non-existence,  rather  than  to 
have  all  the  honors  of  the  universe  for  ever  heaped  upon  him  by 
a  God  whose  character  he  could  not  sincerely  and  honestly  defend. 
Never  before  has  he  so  deeply  felt  a  longing  after  a  God  of  a  spot- 
less character.  Never  has  he  so  deeply  felt  that  the  whole  hght 
and  joy  of  the  universe  are  in  him,  and  that  when  his  character  is 
darkened  all  worlds  are  filled  with  gloom." 

The  following  is  from  tlie  Eev.  Albert  Barnes,  a 
leading  l^ew  School  Calvinistic  divine,  and  the  author 
of  a  very  popular  Commentary  on  the  Bible  : 

"  That  the  immortal  mind  should  be  allowed  to  jeopard  its  in- 
finite welfare,  and  that  trifles  should  be  allowed  to  draw  it  away 
from  God  and  virtue  and  heaven ;  that  any  should  suffer  for  ever 
— ^lingering  on  in  hopeless  despair  amidst  infinite  torments,  with- 
out the  possibility  of  alleviation  and  without  end ;  that  since  God 
can  save  men  and  wiU  save  a  part,  he  has  not  purposed  to  save 
aU;  that  on  the  supposition  that  the  atonement  is  ample,  and  that 
the  blood  of  Christ  jcan  cleanse  from  all  and  every  sin,  it  is  not  in 
fact  appHed  to  all ;  that,  in  a  word,  a  God  who  clainis  to  be  wor- 
thy of  the  confidence  of  the  universe,  and  to  be  a  being  of  infinite 
benevolence,  should  make  such  a  world  as  this,  full  of  sinners  and 
sufferers,  and  then,  when  an  atonement  has  been  made,  he  did 


SEITSE     OF     MANKIND.  41 

not  save  all  the  race,  and  put  an  end  to  sin  and  woe  for  ever ; — 
these  and  kindred  difficulties  meet  the  mind  when  we  think  on 
this  great  subject.  And  they  meet  us  whenever  we  endeavor  to 
urge  our  fellow-sinners  to  be  reconciled  to  God.  On  this  ground 
they  hesitate.  These  are  7'eal  and  not  imaginary  difficulties.  They 
are  probably  felt  by  every  mind  that  has  ever  reflected  on  the 
subject ;  and  they  are  unexplained,  unmitigated,  unremoved." 

"  I  have  never  known  a  particle  of  light  thi'own  on  these  sub- 
jects that  has  given  a  moment's  ease  to  my  tortured  mind ;  nor 
have  I  an  explanation  to  offer,  or  a  thought  to  suggest,  that  would 
be  of  relief  to  you.  I  trust  other  men,,  as  they  profess  to  do — ^un- 
derstand this  better  than  I  do,  and  that  they  have  not  the  anguish 
of  spirit  which  I  have ;  but  I  confess,  when  I  look  on  a  world  of 
sinners  and  of  sufferers,  upon  death-beds  and  grave-yards,  upon  the 
world  of  woe  filled  with  hosts  to  suffer  for  ever ;  when  I  see  my 
friends,  my  parents,  my  family,  my  people,  my  fellow-citizens; 
when  I  look  upon  a  whole  race,  aU  involved  in  this  sin  and  dan- 
ger, and  when  I  see  the  great  mass  of  them  wholly  unconcerned, 
and  when  I  feel  that  G-od  only  can  save  them  and  yet  that  he  does 
not  do  it — T  am  struck  dumb.  It  is  all  dark,  dark,  dark  to  my 
soul,  and  I  can  not  disguise  it." 

This  is  but  a  brief  specimen  of  tbe  shuddering  pro- 
test wbicTi  bas  arisen  in  all  ages  and  from  all  sects', 
against  tbis  stern  and  awful  dogma,  and  wbicb  bas 
poured  its  most  powerful  records  from  tbe  sbivering 
bearts  of  tbeologians  tbemselves  * 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  COMMON  SENSE  DEFINED. 

The  preceding  extracts  exbibit  a  portion  of  tbe  evi- 
dence to  prove  tbat  tbe  Augustinian  system  is  contrary 

*  Most  of  the  extracts  in  this  and  the  preceding  chapter  are  furnished 
by  Dr.  E.  Beecher  in  his  Conflict  of  Ages. 


42  PRINCIPLES    DEFINED. 

to  the  moral  sense  of  mankind,  and  that  theologians 
have  failed,  bj  their  own  concessions,  to  render  it  con- 
sistent and  satisfactory  even  to  themselves. 

The  next  attempt  will  be  to  show  that  the  people  are 
endowed  \^i\h  principles  of  common  sense,  by  the  aid  of 
which  they  can  educe  from  the  vjorhs  of  the  Creator, 
independently  of  any  revealed  Word,  a  system  of  re- 
ligion far  superior  to  the  one  based  on  the  Augustinian 
theory. 

Our  first  aim  will  be  to  designate  what  is  intended 
by  "  the  principles  of  common  sense." 

It  is  claimed,  then,  that  there  are  certain  truths,  the 
belief  of  which  exists  in  every  rational  human  mind. 
This  belief,  in  some  cases,  as  all  must  allow,  results 
from  the  constitution  of  mind  given  by  the  Creator, 
and  not  from  any  instruction  or  knowledge  gaii.  d  by 
other  modes.  Of  this  class  is  the  belief  of  every  mind 
in  its  own  existence,  and  also  the  belief  in  the  exist- 
ence of  other  things  b'eside  ourselves. 
.  There  are  other  truths  universally  believed  by  every 
rational  mind,  where  there  may  be  room  for  question 
as  to  whether  this  belief  is  acquired  or  the  result  of 
constitutional  organization.  But  this  question  is  waived, 
as  of  little  practical  consequence  for  the  present  pur- 
pose of  this  work. 

The  fact  on  which  the  name  and  classification  of 
these  truths  rests  is,  that  the  belief  in  them  is  com- 
mon to  all  rational  minds,  and  is  regarded  as  so  in- 
dispensable to  true  rationality,  that  whenever  any 
person  shows  by  words  and  actions  that  a  belief  in 
any  one  of  these  truths  does  not  exist,  he  is  regarded 
as  deranged,  that  is  to  say,  his  reason  is  said  to  be  more 
or  less  destroyed. 


PRINCIPLES     DEFINED.  43 

This,  therefore,  is  the  test  by  which  we  are  to  distin- 
guish these  principles  of  common  sense  from  all  other 
knowledge.  They  are  truths  which  are  believed  by 
all  rational  persons,  so  that  the  disbelief  of  any  one 
of  them,  evinced  in  words  and  actions,  is  universally 
regarded  as  proof  of  a  deranged  mind.  In  such  cases, 
a  man,  in  common  parlance,  would  be  said  to  have 
''  lost  his  mind,"  or  to  have  "  lost  his  reason  ;"  inas- 
much as  he  is  lacking  in  some  of  those  peculiar  fea- 
tures which  constitute  man  a  rational  being. 

In  this  work  the  question  is  also  waived  as  to  the 
number  of  truths  which  are  to  be  included  in  this  class. 
In  regard  to  certain  of  them  there  can  be  no  dispute. 
Of  those  involving  any  discussion,  there  probably  will 
be  no  occasion  to  speak  in  this  work.  The  writer  does 
not  claim  that  the  common  people,  or  that  metaphy- 
sicians, when  they  speak  of  "  common  sense,"  always 
refer  to  what  is  here  designated  by  this  term. 

All  that  the  writer  claims  is  that  there  are  certain 
truths,  the  belief  of  which  is  common  to  all  minds,  ei- 
ther as  the  result  of  constitutional  organization  or  of 
acquired  knowledge ;  and  that  these  can  be  classified 
by  this  test^  viz.,  that  men  universally  talk  and  act  as 
if  they  believed  them,  and  when  they  cease  to  do  so, 
are  regarded  as  more  or  less  insane. 

Moreover,  it  is  claimed  that  it  is  proper  to  call  them 
principles  of  common  sense^  because  they  are  that  kind 
of  sense  which  is  common  to  the  whole  race,  and  also 
they  are  often  referred  to,  both  by  metaphysicians  and 
by  the  common  people,  by  this  term. 

In  the  following  chapters  it  will  be  shown  that  by 
the  application  of  these  principles,  a  system  of  natural 
religion  can  be  gained  from  the  works  of  the  Cteator 


44  COMMON     SENSE     APPLIED. 

by  the  same  metliods  that  men  employ  in  all  the  ordi- 
nary concerns  of  life,  and  that  thus  we  are  as  fully 
qualified  to  gain  religious  knowledge  and  peace  as  we 
are  to  secure  temporal  comfort  and  prosperity. 


CHAPTER    X. 


COMMON  SENSE  APPLIED  TO  GAIN  THE  EXISTENCE 
OF  GOD. 

Having  explained  what  is  intended  by  the  princi- 
ples of  common  sense,  the  next  attempt  will  be  to 
apply  certain  of  these  principles  to  gain  a  system  of 
natural  religion;  meaning  by  this  term  that  religion 
which  may  be  gained  from  the  worhs  of  the  Creator  in- 
dependently of  any  revealed  Word. 

In  all  systems  of  religion  the  first  article  relates  to 
the  existence  and  character  of  the  Deity  to  be  wor- 
shiped and  obeyed.  The  first  principle  of  common 
sense  to  guide  us  in  this  inquiry  is  this : 

JEvery  change  has  a  producing  cause. 

In  the  widest  sense  of  the  word,  cause  signifies  some- 
thing as  an  antecedent,  without  which  a  given  change 
will  not  occur,  and  with  which  it  will  occur.  This  is 
the  leading  idea  in  every  use  of  this  word. 

Then  there  are  two  classes  of  causes ;  the  first  are 
necessary  ot  producing  causes j  and  the  second  occasional 
causes. 

A  producing  cause  is  an  antecedent  which  produces 
a  given  change. 

Occasional  causes  are  those  circumstances  which  are 
indispensable  to  the  action  of  producing  causes. 


COMMON     SENSE     APPLIED.  45 

Thus,  fire  applied  to  powder  is  the  producing  cause 
of  an  explosion,  while  the  placing  of  the  two  together 
is  the  occasional  cause  of  it. 

The  idea  of  a  producing  cause  is  one  which  probably 
is  gained  when  we  first  discover  that  our  own  will 
moves  our  own  limbs  and  other  things  around  us. 
When  we  will  to  move  a  thing,  and  find  the  in- 
tended change  follows  our  volition  to  move  it,  then 
we  can  not  help  believing  that  our  own  mind prodicced 
this  change.  At  the  same  time  we  gain  the  idea  of 
power  to  produce  this  change,  and  the  belief  also 
that  the  thing  changed  nad  no  power  to  refrain  from 
the  change. 

Our  only  mode  of  defining  the  idea  of  a  producing 
cause,  o^  power  and  of  want  of  power ^  is  to  refer  to  oc- 
casions when,  by  willing,  we  cause  changes,  and  thus 
become  conscious  of  the  existence  and  nature  of  these 
ideas  by  experience. 

So  also  we  have  no  mode  of  defining  our  sensations 
but  by  stating  the  occasions  in  which  we  are  conscious 
of  them.  For  instance,  whiteness  is  the  sensation  we 
have  when  we  look  at  snow,  and  hlachness  is  the  sen- 
sation we  have  when  we  look  at  charcoal. 

The  same  idea  of  causation  and  power  in  ourselves 
which  we  have  when  we  make  changes  by  our  will, 
we  always  connect  with  any  thing  which  by  experi- 
ment and  testimony  we  find,  in  given  circumstances, 
to  be  an  invariable  antecedent  of  a  given  change.  Our 
minds  a^e  so  made,  that  whenever  we  find  an  inva- 
riable antecedent  of  a  given  change,  we  can  not  help 
believing  that  this  antecedent  ^roc?i^cec?  the  change,  just 
as  we  believe  our  own  will  produces  changes  in  our 
bodies  and  in  things  around  us.     And  if  any  person 


46  COMMON     SENSE     APPLIED. 

were  to  talk  and  act  as  if  he  did  not  believe  this,  he 
would  be  regarded  as  having  '^lost  his  reason." 

Moreover,  whenever  men,  by  frequent  experiments, 
find  that  a  given  change  is  invariably  preceded  by  a 
certain  antecedent,  they  can  not  help  believing  that  the 
antecedent  has  'power  to  produce  this  change,  and  that 
the  thing  changed  has  no  power  to  do  otherwise.  This 
idea  of  power  and  want  of  power  always  exists  when- 
ever men  find  an  invariable  antecedent  to  some  change. 
It  is  by  finding  what  are  thus  invariably  connected  as 
antecedents  and  consequents  that  men  learn  what  are 
causes^  and  what  are  effects^  and  what  are  the  powers  of 
things  around  us. 

Here,  then,  we  have  these  as  principles  of  common 
sense  believed  by  all  men,  viz. : 

1.  Every  change  (in  matter  or  mind)  has  a  produc- 
ing cause  as.  an  antecedent. 

2.  Every  invariable  antecedent  of  an  invariable  se- 
quent is  a  producing  cause,  and  the  thing  changed  has 
no  power  to  refrain  from  that  change. 

3.  A  producing  cause,  in  appropriate  circumstances, 
has  power  to  make  a  given  change. 

Now  every  man,  however  unlearned,  can  judge  for 
himself  whether  these  principles  of  common  sense  ex- 
ist in  his  own  mind,  as  here  set  forth.  For  example, 
let  any  person  take  a  magnet  and  discover,  day  after 
day,  that  when  it  is  placed  near  a  piece  of  iron  it 
draws  it  to  itself ;  let  him  find  also,  by  testimony  from 
others,  that  this  is  invariable  and  fails  in  not  a  single 
instance,  and  the  inevitable  result  is  a  belief  that  the 
magnet  is  the  cause  of  the  moving  of  the  iron,  just  as 
the  mind  is  the  cause  of  the  movement  of  our  bodies. 
So  also  there  is  a  belief  that  the  magnet,  in  given  cir- 


COMMON    SENSE     APPLIED.  47 

cumstances,  lias  power  to  move  the  iron,  as  out  will 
lias  power  to  move  our  body.  So  also  there  is  a  be- 
lief that  the  piece  of  iron,  in  the  given  circumstances, 
has  no  power  to  refrain  from  being  thus  attracted. 

We  see,  then,  that  it  is  a  universal  fact,  that  when 
there  is  a  change  of  any  thing,  or  any  new  mode  of 
existence,  every  sane  man  believes  there  is  some  pro- 
duciny  cause  of  this  change.  Even  the  youngest  child 
exhibits  this  principle  as  a  part  of  its  mental  organi- 
zation. And  should  a  person  be  found  who  was  des- 
titute of  a  belief  in  this  truth,  so  that  he  should  talk 
and  act  as  if  things  came  into  existence  and  were 
changing  places  and  forms  without  any  causes,  he 
would  be  called  insane,  or  a  man  who  had  "  lost  his 
reason." 

Our  minds  being  endowed  with  this  principle,  we 
find  the  world  around  us  to  be  a  succession  of  changes 
which  we  •trace  back  to  preceding  causes,  until  we 
come  to  the  grand  question,  "  Who,  or  what  first 
started  this  vast  system  of  successive  changes  ?"  Only 
two  replies  are  conceivable.  The  first  is  that  of  the 
Atheist,  who,  contradicting  his  own  common  sense, 
maintains  that,  in  some  past  period,  all  this  vast  sys- 
tem of  organization  and  changes  began  to  exist  with- 
out any  cause.  The  other  reply  is,  that  there  is  a 
great,  eternal,  self-existent  First  Cause^  who  himself 
never  began  to  be,  and  who  is  the  author  of  all  finite 
existences.  This  being,  the  Creator  of  the  heavens 
and  the  earth,  we  call  God. 

The  next  principle  of  common  sense  is  that  by  which 
we  gain  a  knowledge  of  the  natural  attributes  of  the 
Creator.     It  is  this  : 

Design  or  contrivance  to  secure  a  given  end,  is  proof 


48  COMMON     SENSE     APPLIED. 

of  an  intelligent  designer,  and  the  nature  of  a  design 
proves  the  intention  and  character  of  its  author. 

The  mind,  as  has  been  shown,  is  so  formed  that  it 
can  not  believe  that  any  existence  can  commence  with- 
out some  antecedent  cause.  The  existence  of  unor- 
ganized matter,  however,  would  be  no  proof  that  the 
cause  was  an  intelligent  mind. 

But  when  any  existence  is  discovered  where  there 
is  an  adjustment  of  parts,  all  conducing  to  accomplish 
some  determinate  end,  no  person  can  examine  and  un- 
derstand its  nature  and  adaptations  without  the  accom- 
panying belief  that  the  cause  of  that  contrivance  was 
a  mind  endowed  with  the  capacity  of  adjusting  means 
to  accomplish  an  end,  and  thus  an  intelligent  mind. 

Nor  is  it  possible,  when  the  object  which  any  de- 
sign is  fitted  to  accomplish  is  clearly  discovered,  to 
doubt  the  intention  of  the  designer.  "We  can  not  help 
believing  that  it  was  the  intention  of  the  contriver  to 
accomplish  the  end  for  which  his  contrivance  is  fitted. 

As  an  example  to  illustrate  the  existence  of  these 
principles,  even  in  the  simplest  minds,  if  a  savage 
should  find  in  the  desert  a  gold  watch,  nothing  could 
lead  him  to  believe  that  it  sprang  into  existence  there 
without  any  cause.  If  he  should  open  it  and  perceive 
the  nice  adjustment  of  the  wheels  and  all  its  beautiful 
indications  of  contrivance,  he  could  not  believe  that 
the  mind  of  an  animal,  or  that  any  but  an  intelligent 
mind  constructed  its  machinery.  If  he  should  have 
all  its  movements  explained  to  him,  and  learn  how 
exactly  all  were  fitted  to  mark  the  passage  of  time,  it 
would  be  equally  impossible  to  convince  him  that  the 
contriver  did  not  design  it  for  such  a  purpose. 

Very  early  childhood  gives  evidence  of  the  exist- 


COMMON     SENSE     APPLIED.  49 

ence  of  these  principles.  An  interesting  instance  of 
this  is  recorded  by  a  celebrated  philosopher,  who,  to 
test  the  existence  of  these  principles  in  the  mind  of  his 
child,  planted  a  bed  with  seeds  arranged  in  the  form 
of  the  letters  which  spelled  the  child's  name.  When 
the  green  symbols  had  sprung  from  the  ground  and 
were  discovered  by  the  delighted  child,  the  father  in 
vain  endeavored  to  force  his  belief  that  the  letters  came 
without  a  cause  and  without  a  design,  **No,  father. 
Somebody  planted  them ;  somebody  intended  to  have 
them  come  up  and  spell  my  name  1"  And  thus  in- 
fancy itself  maintains  the  principles  which  are  our 
guide  to  the  Great  Source  of  all  finite  existences. 

Another  principle  of  common  sense  lends  us  still 
further  aid  in  arriving  at  the  natural  attributes  of  the 
Creator.     It  is  this  : 

Things  are  and  will  continue  according  to  our  past  ex- 
perience till  there  is  evidence  of  a  change. 

All  the  business  of  life  rests  on  a  belief  of  this  truth. 
Our  confidence  that  the  sun  will  rise,  the  seasons  re- 
turn, the  ocean  and  rivers  flow,  the  mountains  remain  ; 
and  in  thousands  of  other  things  that  regulate  our 
plans  and  conduct,  all  depends  on  this  implanted  be- 
lief that  things  will  continue  according  to  our  past 
experience  till  there  is  evidence  of  a  change.  A  man 
who  acted  as  if  he  disbelieved  this  principle  would  be 
regarded  as  having  "lost  his  reason." 

When,  therefore,  we  have  gained  the  idea  that  the 
Creator  is  an  intelligent  mind,  we  necessarily  believe 
that  his  mind  is  such  as  we  have  ever  known  in  past  ex- 
periencCj  that  is,  a  mind  like  our  own^  endowed  with 
reason,  intellect,  susceptibilities  and  will.  We  can 
not  conceive  of  any  other  kind  of  mind,  because  we 

3 


50  THE 

have  never  had  any  experience  or  knowledge  of  any 
other  kind. 

The  only  respect  in  vvhicli  we  can  conceive  of  the 
Creator  as  differing  from  our  own  minds  is  in  the  ex- 
tent of  those  natural  faculties  which  are  exhibited  in 
his  works. 

Thus  by  the  use  of  the  principles  of  common  sense 
we  have  gained  the  positions  that  there  is  a  Being  who 
is  the  Author  of  all  finite  existences,  whose  mind  is 
like  our  own  in  natural  faculties,  while  in  the  extent 
of  these  faculties,  as  exhibited  in  his  works,  he  is  far 
beyond  our  conceptions. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

THE  people's  mental  PHILOSOPHY. 

In  the  preceding  chapter  we  have  applied  the  prin- 
ciples of  common  sense  to  gain  evidence  of  the  exist- 
ence of  a  Creator,  or  Great  First  Cause,  whose  natural 
attributes  we  can  discover  only  by  the  nature  of  our 
own  minds. 

This  being  so,  our  next  step  in  seeking  after  God 
is  to  examine  the  construction  or  nature  of  our  own 
minds. 

The  only  way  to  discover  the  nature  of  a  thing  is 
to  examine  what  are  its  qualities,  how  it  acts, 'and  how 
it  is  acted  upon.  This  also  is  the  same  as  studying  the 
^philosophy  of  things.  For  when  learned  men  set  forth 
any  branch  of  philosophy,  they  only  teach  the  quali- 
ties of  certain  things,  how  they  act,  and  how  they  are 
acted  upon. 


MENTAL    PHILOSOPHY.  •  51 

Whoever,  therefore,  gives  attention  to  the  nature 
of  mind  so  as  to  discover  its  qualities,  how  it  acts, 
and  how  it  is  acted  upon,  is  studying  the  philosophy 
of  mind,  or  mental  philosophy. 

The  nature  ofmind^  the  philosophy  of  mind^  and  men- 
tal philosophy  are  terms  all  expressing  the  same  thing. 

Now,  the  only  possible  way  in  which  any  person  can 
discover  the  nature  of  another  mind  is  by  a  knowledge 
of  his  own.  We  first  learn  by  experience  the  quali- 
ties of  our  own  mind,  how  it  acts  and  how  it  is  acted 
upon,  and  then,  by  a  process  of  reasoning,  we  learn 
that  there  are  other  minds  around  us,  and  that  they 
have  similar  qualities. 

The  study  of  mental  philosophy,  then,  is  directing 
attention  to  the  nature  of  our  own  mind,  and  thus  dis- 
covering the  nature  of  other  minds. 

It  differs  from  all  other  studies  in  this  respect,  that 
all  men  have  the  materials  of  the  knowledge  sought 
in  their  own  minds,  and  are  required  simply  to  direct 
attention  to  their  own  mental  states  and  acts. 

This  being  so,  the  common  people  are  as  fully  quali- 
fied to  settle  all  questions  in  regard  to  the  nature  or 
philosophy  of  their  own  minds  as  the  most  learned  and 
profound  metaphysicians  or  theologians  can  be.  All 
that  is  requisite  to  success  is,  that  they  direct  their  at- 
tention to  the  subject  by  suitable  methods. 

It  will  be  found,  on  examination,  that  the  common 
people  have  secured  a  written  system  of  mental  phi- 
losophy as  real  as  has  ever  yet  been  furnished  by  any 
metaphysician  or  theologian,  while  it  is  free  from  the 
great  defects  which  render  many  works  on  mental 
science  unpractical  and  repulsive 


52         ,  THE    people's 

This — the  people's  system  of  mental  philosophy — it  will 
be  the  object  of  what  follows  to  set  forth. 

In  attempting  it,  we  shall  find  that  mankind,  in  the 
•uses  of  every-day  life,  have  arranged  the  various  acts 
and  states  of  mind  into  classes  and  subdivisions,  and 
have  given  names  to  these  classes,  and  to  the  specific 
acts  or  states  included  in  these  classes.  These  classi- 
fications and  terms  are  recorded  by  lexicographers  in 
their  dictionaries. 

All  words  have  that  meaning  which  is  attached  to 
them  by  the  people  who  use  them.  The  business  of 
the  lexicographer  is,  not  to  settle  what  meaning  ought 
to  belong  to  words,  but  rather  to  state  the  meaning 
which  men  actually  attach  to  them  in  writing  and 
speaking. 

In  setting  forth  the  people's  system  of  natural  phi- 
losophy as  contained  in  lexicographies,  we  find  that 
almost  every  word  is  used  to  express  several  mean- 
ings, similar  in  some  respects  and  diverse  in  others. 
In  consequence  of  this,  we  only  can  attempt  thus  much 
for  mental  science,  as  for  many  other  subjects,  viz.,  to 
describe  the  thing  intended,  and  then  to  select  the 
word  most  frequently  used  to  express  this  idea,  as  set 
forth  in  our  dictionaries. 

This,  then,  is  the  course  pursued  in  the  following 
pages.  A  description  is  set  forth  of  a  given  act  or 
State  of  mind,  sufiS.cient  to  identify  it  from  all  others, 
and  then  the  word  is  selected  from  dictionaries  of  our 
language  which  has  most  frequently  been  used  by  the 
common  people  in  expressing  the  idea  intended.  Thus 
every  person  who  cares  enough  about  the  matter  to 
read  and  think,  can  decide  as  well  as  the  most  cele- 
brated metaphysician,  whether  the  description  given  is 


MENTAL     PHILOSOPHY.  53 

true  to  his  own  experience^  and  also  whetlier,  according 
to  lexicograpliers,  the  word  selected  is  frequently  used 
by  man  to  express  this  idea. 

The  writer,  in  her  first  attempts  to  investigate  the 
philosophy  of  mind,  examined  the  works  of  Stewart, 
Eeid,  Locke,  Edwards,  Brown,  Coleridge,  Cousin,  Jouf- 
froy,  Coombe,  Spurtzheim  and  several  others.  More 
recently  some  attention  has  been  given  to  the  writings 
of  Sir  William  Hamilton,  Hickok  and  others.  The  re- 
sult has  been  the  conviction,  that  most  of  these  works 
contain  the  people's  system,  more  or  less  disguised  with 
diverse  modes  of  classification  and  new  technics,  which 
tend  to  render  the  whole  subject  misty  and  perplexing. 
And  still  more  unfortunately,  some  of  them  attempt  the 
discussion  of  questions  which  are  unpractical  and  often 
unintelligible. 

As  an  example,  certain  metaphysicians  have  at- 
tempted to  prove  that  there  is  nothing  existing  but 
mind,  and  that  all  which  we  believe  to  be  realities 
without  ourselves  are  not  so,  but  merely  ideas  in  the 
mind. 

Other  metaphysicians  have  attempted  to  meet  their 
arguments,  and  to  prove  that  the  world  around  us  is  a 
reality. 

Both  attempts  have  ended  in  books  which  seem  to 
have  no  sort  of  practical  influence  either  way.  Men 
can  not  help  believing  that  there  is  an  outer  world, 
and  that  the  men  and  things  that  affect  our  senses  are 
realities,  and  such  arguments  neither  lessen  nor  increase 
this  belief. 

Meantime,  the  books  written  to  prove  or  disprove 
this  truth  are  incomprehensible  to  most  common  minds, 
at  least  the  writer  of  this  work  has  in  vain  essayed  to 


54  THE     NATUKE     OF     MIND,     OR 

Tinderstand  them,  or  to  find  any  person  who  could 
communicate  any  clear  ideas  of  their  contents. 


CHAPTEE    XII. 

THE  NATURE   OF  MIND,   OR  ITS  POWERS  AND 
FACULTIES. 

We  have  seen,  in  the  preceding  chapters,  that  our 
only  mode  of  gaining  a  knowledge  of  the  natural  at- 
tributes of  God,  is  by  the  study  of  the  nature  of  mind. 
"We  have  seen  also  that  the  only  way  to  discover  the 
nature  of  mind  is  to  examine  what  are  its  qualities, 
and  how  it  acts  and  is  acted  upon  in  our  own  expe- 
rience. 

When  we  discover  what  our  minds  actually  do,  we 
find  out  what  they  hdi^Q  power  to  do.  1^\iq  faculties  of 
mind  are  its  powers  of  acting  as  they  are  exhibited  in 
our  own  experience. 

The  following  presents  a  brief  outline  of  the  powers 
and  faculties  of  mind  as  they  have  been  classified  and 
named  by  the  people. 

Ideas  is  the  word  most  frequently  used  to  include  all 
the  operations  and  states  of  mind. 

Our  ideas  are  often  referred  to  as  divided  into  two 
classes,  viz.,  ideas  gained  by  the  senses,  and  ideas  that 
pass  through  the  mind  without  the  aid  of  the  senses. 

Intellectual  Powers. 

The  power  to  gain  ideas  by  the  five  senses  is  called 
sensation  or  perception. 


ITS     POWERS     AND     FACULTIES.        55 

The  power  to  have  ideas  without  the  use  of  the 
senses  is  called  conc&ption. 

Per  is  the  Latin  word  for  hy^  and  con  is  the  word  for 
without.  So  we  have  perceptions  hy  the  senses,  and 
coTzceptions  ivitliout  the  senses. 

Imagination  ot  fancy,  is  the  power  to  make  new  com- 
binations of  oiir  conceptions. 

Memory  is  the  power  of  recalling  past  ideas,  and  of 
recognizing  them  as  having  existed  before. 

Judgment  is  the  power  of  comparing  ideas,  and  no- 
ticing their  relations  to  each  other. 

Abstraction  is  the  power  of  noticing  certain  parts  or 
certain  qualities  of  things,  while  other  parts  or  quali- 
ties are  unnoticed. 

Association  is  the  power  of  recalling  past  ideas  ac- 
cording to  certain  modes,  called  laivs  of  association. 

The  above  powers  are  usually  classed  together,  and 
called  the  intellectual  powers,  or  the  intellect. 

The  Susceptibilities,  or  Feelings. 

The  powers  of  feehng  various  kinds  of  pleasure  and 
pain,  happiness  and  misery,  enjoyment  and  discomfort, 
are  called  the  susceptibilities,  the  emotions  and  the  feel- 
ings. 

When  any  thing  is  found  to  be  the  cause  of  pleasur- 
able feelings,  there  follows  a  desire  to  secure  it,  and  it 
is  called  good.  When  any  thing  causes  pain,  a  desire 
follows  to  avoid  it,  and  it  is  called  evil. 

These  desires  to  secure  good  and  avoid  evil  are  called 
motives  (or  movers),  because  they  move  the  mind  to 
action  in  order  to  secure  the  good  desired  or  to  escape 
the  evil  feared.  The  objects  that  cause  such  desires 
are  also  called  motives. 


56  THE     NATURE     OF     MIND,     OR 

For  example,  gold  is  called  tlie  motive  that  led  a 
man  to  murder,  and  tlie  desire  of  gold  is  also  called  tlie 
motive  of  that  act.* 

Desires  are  measured  as  strong  or  weah  by  our  own 
consciousness.  When  we  desire  two  incompatible 
things  and  must  choose  one  or  tlie  other,  before  the 
act  of  choice  we  are  conscious  that  one  creates  a  desire 
whicb  is  stronger  than  the  other. 

The  only  mode  of  deciding  which  desire  is  strongest, 
is  by  our  own  consciousness. 

The  Will 

The  power  of  choosing,  or  willing,  is  called  th^  will. 
It  is  also  called  tbe  power  oi  volition. 

When  several  desires  coexist,  some  of  which  must 
necessarily  be  denied  in  order  to  gratify  others,  we  or- 
dinarily choose  that  object  which  exciles  the  strongest 
desire,  as  measured  by  our  consciousness. 

But  it  is  often  the  case  that  we  feel  tlie  strongest  de- 
sire for  that  which  is  not  hest  for  us.  Thus,  when  sick 
we  have  tempting  fruit  and  nauseous  medicine  before 
us,  with  power  to  choose  either.  Our  intellect  decides 
that  the  medicine  is  best  for  us,  but  our  strongest  de- 
sire is  for  the  fruit. 

In  such  a  case  we  have  power  to  choose  either  that 
which  excites  the  strongest  desire  or  that  which  the 
intellect  decides  to  be  hest^  even  when  it  does  not  ex- 
cite the  strongest  desire. 

This  power  is  the  chief  feature  of  a  rational  mind 
in  distinction  from  an  irrational  mind. 

And  the  belief  that  we  have  this  power  is  to  be 

*  In  scientific  language,  the  object  of  desire  is  called  the  objective  mo- 
tive, and  the  desire  itself  is  called  the  subjective  motive. 


ITS     POWERS     AND     FACULTIES.        57 

placed  as  one  of  the  principles  of  common  sense,  be- 
cause all  men  talk*  and  act  as  if  thej  believe  tbej  pos- 
sess this  power.  And  if  any  person  were  to  talk  and 
act  as  if  lie  did  not  believe  that  he  had  power  to  choose 
in  either  of  these  two  ways,  he  would  be  regarded  as 
having  lost  his  reason. 

Season^  or  Common  Sense, 

Of  the  thoughts  which  continually  pass  through  the 
mind,  we  find  that  some  are  attended  with  a  feeling 
of  the  real  existence  of  the  objects  of  our  thoughts, 
and  others  are  not  so  attended.  For  example,  we  may 
think  of  a  man  with  a  certain  form  carrying  a  dagger 
and  going  to  commit  murder,  and  with  this,  a  feeling 
that  no  such  thing  is  really  existing.  Again,  we  may 
have  this  same  idea  attended  with  the  conviction  that 
it  is  a  reality. 

This  feeling  of  the  reality  of  the  objects  of  our 
thoughts  is  called  beliefs  or  faith. 

Our  minds  are  so  made,  that  we  necessarily  believe 
not  only  that  things  are  really  existing  at  the  present 
time,  but  that  things  will  occur  that  are  not  now  in 
existence.  For  example,  we  believe  the  sun  will  rise 
to-morrow  morning  in  another  place  nearer  toward 
the  north  or  south  than  it  did  the  present  morning. 
We  believe  the  tide  will  rise  higher  or  lower  on  a  com- 
ing day  than  it  did  the  present  day.  And  thus  multi- 
tudes of  events  are  believed  to  be  in  the  future. 

Those  things  which  really  do  or  will  exist,  in  dis- 
tinction from  those  we  may  think  of  but  which  do  not 
and  will  not  exist,  are  called  truths^  or  realities. 

All  our  comfort  and  happiness  depend  on  our  be- 
lieving the  truthj  meaning  by  truth  the  reality  of  things. 

3* 


58  THE     NATUKE     OF     MIND,     OR 

To  believe  that  things  exist  when  they  do  not,  or  that 
things  are  not  existing  when  they  are,  involves  certain 
pain,  disappointment  and  mistake. 

Our  great  safeguard  from  this  is  that  part  of  our 
mental  organization  called  reason^  or  common  sense. 
This,  ajs  has  been  shown,  consists  in  the  necessary  be- 
lief of  certain  truths  by  all  men. 

The  test  by  which  these  truths  are  identified  and 
distinguished  from  all  other  knovdedge,  is  the  fact 
that  usually  all  men  talk  and  act  as  if  they  believed 
them,  and  that  when  they  fail  to  do  so,  they  are  re- 
garded as  having  '^  lost  their  reason." 

The  truths  thus  necessarily  believed  are  the  founda- 
tion of  the  process  called  reasoning^  which  is  a  mode 
of  establishing  other  truths  by  the  aid  of  those  already 
believed. 

These  principles  of  reason  or  common  sense  are 
often  called  by  other  names,  such  as  intuitions^  intuitive 
truths,  first  principles,  etc. 

Thus  all  the  powers  of  mind  are  arranged  in  the 
four  general  classes,  viz.,  the  intellect,  the  susceptibilities^ 
the  will,  and  reason  or  common  sense. 

In  regard  to  the  power  of  mind  called  reason,  what 
is  claimed  here  is,  not  that  either  the  common  peo- 
ple or  metaphysicians  have  usually  thus  clearly  set 
forth  what  is  here  so  described  and  named  ;  but  that 
all  men,  learned  and  unlearned,  allow  that  there  are 
truths  which  are  necessarily  believed  by  all  mankind ; 
that  these  are  the  foundation  of  all  reasoning,  and 
that  they  often  are  called  reason.  So  when  any  one 
is  found  to  lack  a  belief  in  certain  of  these  intuitive 
truths,  he  is  said  to  have  "lost  his  reason."  And 
when  any  act  or  assertion  is  seen  to  contradict  any 


ITS     POWERS     AND     FACULTIES.        59 

of  these  truths,  it  is  said  to  be  "  contrary  to  rea- 
son." 

Therefore  it  is  proper  to  put  the  belief  in  these  im- 
planted truths  as  a  distinct  power  of  the  mind,  and  to 
call  it  "  the  reason."  And  as  the  belief  of  these  truths 
is  common  to  all  men,  it  is  also  proper  to  call  it  com- 
mon sense. 


CHAPTEE    XIII. 

NATUEE  OF  MIND. — ^REGULATION  OF  THE  THOUGHTS. 

A  SYSTEM  of  natural  religion  includes  not  only  the 
existence  and  natural  attributes  of  the  Creator,  but 
his  moral  character  and  the  duties  owed  to  Him,  to  our 
fellow-beings  and  to  ourselves. 

To  discover  these  by  the  principles  of  common  sense, 
unaided  by  revelation,  we  must  again  turn  to  our  own 
minds  as  our  only  directory.  This  demands  a  more 
enlarged  consideration  of  many  of  the  specific  powers 
and  operations  of  mind,  as  developed  by  experience 
and  observation. 

Mode  of  regulating  our  thoughts. 

The  mode  by  which  the  succession  of  our  thoughts 
is  regulated  is  intimately  connected  with  several  sub- 
jects to  be  discussed,  and  will,  therefore,  first  receive 
attention.         ^ 

It  will  be  found  that  our  sensations  and  perceptions 
vary  in  vividness  and  distinctness  according  to  the 
strength  and  permanency  of  certain  feelings  of  desire 
which  coexist  with  them.     For  example,  we  are  con- 


60  NATURE     OF     MIND. 

tinually  hearing  a  multitude  of  sounds,  but  in  respect 
to  many  of  tliem,  as  we  feel  no  desire  to  know  tlie 
cause  or  nature  of  them,  these  sensations  are  so  feeble 
and  indistinct  as  scarcely  ever  to  be  recalled  to  the 
mind  or  recognized  by  any  act  of  memory  ;  but  should 
we  hear  some  strange  wailing  sound,  immediately  the 
desire  would  arise  to  ascertain  its  nature  and  cause.  It 
would  immediately  become  an  object  of  distinct  and 
vivid  perception,  and  continue  so  as  long  as  the  desire 
lasted. 

While  one  sensation  becomes  thus  clear  and  promi* 
nent,  it  will  be  found  that  other  sensations  which  were 
coexisting  with  it  will  become  feebler  and  seem  to  die 
away.  The  same  impressions  may  still  be  made  upon 
the  eye  as  before,  the  same  sounds  that  had  previously 
been  regarded  may  still  strike  upon  the  ear,  but  while 
the  desire  to  learn  the  cause  of  that  strange  wailing 
sound  continues,  the  other  sensations  will  all  be  faint 
and  indistinct.  When  this  desire  is  gratified,  then 
other  sensations  resume  their  former  distinctness  and 
prominency. 

Our  conceptions^  in  like  manner,  are  affected  by  the 
coexistence  of  emotion  or  desire.  If,  for  example,  we 
are  employing  ourselves  in  study  or  mental  specula- 
tions, the  vividness  of  our  conceptions  wiU  vary  in 
exact  proportion  to  the  interest  we  feel  in  securing  the 
object  about  which  our  conceptions  are  employed. 
K  we  feel  but  little  interest  in  the  subject  of  our 
speculations,  every  conception  connected  with  them 
will  be  undefined  and  indistinct ;  but  if  the  desire  of 
approbation,  or  the  admonitions  of  conscience,  or  the 
hope  of  securing  some  future  good  stimulate  desire, 
immediately  our  conceptions  grow  more  vivid  and 


REGULATION     OF     THE    THOUGHTS.      61 

clear,  and  the  object  at  whicli  we  aim  is  more  readily 
and  speedily  secured. 

The  mind  is  continually  under  the  influence  of  some 
desire.  It  constantly  has  some  plan  to  accomplish, 
some  cause  to  search  out,  or  some  gratification  to  se- 
cure. The  present  wish  or  desire  of  the  mind  imparts 
an  interest  to  whatever  conception  seems  calculated  to 
forward  this  object.  Thus,  if  the  mathematician  has  a 
problem  to  solve,  and  this  is  the  leading  desire  of  the 
mind,  among  the  various  conceptions  that  arise,  those 
are  the  most  interesting  which  are  fitted  to  his  object, 
and  such  immediately  become  vivid  and  distinct.  If 
the  painter  or  the  poet  is  laboring  to  efiect  some  new 
creation  of  his  art,  and  has  this  as  the  leading  object 
of  desire,  whatever  conceptions  seem  best  fitted  to  his 
purpose  are  immediately  invested  with  interest,  and 
become  distinct  and  clear.  If  the  merchant,  or  the 
capitalist,  or  the  statesman  has  some  project  which  he 
is  toiling  to  accomplish,  whatever  conceptions  appear 
adapted  to  his  purpose  soon  are  glowing  and  defined, 
in  consequence  of  the  interest  with  which  desire  thus 
invests  them. 

From  this  it  appears  that  the  chief  endj  or  leading 
object  of  desire  of  the  mind,  will  in  a  great  measure 
determine  the  nature  and  the  succession  of  its  con- 
ceptions. If  a  man  has  chosen  to  find  his  chief  hap- 
piness in  securing  power  and  honor,  then  those  con- 
ceptions will  be  the  most  interesting  to  his  mind  that 
best  fall  in  with  his  object.  If  he  has  chosen  to  find 
happiness  in  securing  the  various  gratifications  of 
scDse,  then  those  conceptions  that  most  coincide  with 
this  desire  will  become  prominent.  K  a  man  has 
chosen  to  find  his  chief  enjoyment  in  doing  the  will 


62  NATURE     OF     MIND. 

of  God,  then  his  conceptions  will,  to  a  great  extent, 
be  conformed  to  this  object  of  desire.  The  current  of 
a  man's  thoughts,  therefore,  becomes  the  surest  mode 
of  determining  what  is  the  governing  purpose  or  lead- 
ing desire  of  the  mind. 

But  there  are  seasons  in  our  mental  history  when 
the  mind  does  not  seem  to  be  under  the  influence  of 
any  governing  desire  ;  when  it  seems  to  relax,  and  its 
thoughts  appear  to  flow  on  without  any  regulating 
principle.  At  such  times  the  vividness  of  leading 
conceptions,  which  otherwise  is  determined  by  desire^ 
seems  to  depend  upon  our  past  experience.  Those  ob- 
iects  which,  in  past  experience,  have  been  associated 
with  emotion^  are  those  which  thus  begin  to  glow  in 
the  distinct  lineaments  with  which  emotion  at  first  in- 
vested them. 

In  past  experience,  all  conceptions  which  were  at- 
tended with  emotion  were  most  distinct  and  clear,  and 
therefore,  when  such  conceptions  return  united  with 
others,  they  are  the  ones  which  are  most  interesting, 
and  thus  most  vivid  and  distinct.  Thus,  in  our  mus- 
ing hours  of  idle  reverie,  as  one  picture  after  another 
ghdes  before  the  mind,  if  some  object  occurs,  such  as 
the  home  of  our  youth,  or  the  friend  of  our  early  days, 
the  emotions  which  have  been  so  often  united  with 
these  objects  in  past  experience  cause  them  to  appear 
in  clear  and  glowing  lineaments,  and  the  stronger  have 
been  the  past  emotions  connected  with  them,  the  more 
clearly  will  they  be  defined.  It  appears,  then,  that 
there  are  two  circumstances  that  account  for  the  appa- 
rent selection  which  the  mind  makes  in  its  objects  of 
conception.  The  first  is  the  feeling  that  certain  con- 
ceptions are  fitted  to  accomplish  the  leading  desire  of  the 


REGULATION     OF     THE     THOUGHTS.        63 

mind  ;  and  the  second  is,  that  certain  objects  in  past  ex- 
'pei'ience  have  been  attended  with  emotion. 

But  there  is  another  phenomenon  in  onr  mental 
history  which  has  a  direct  beariog  on  the  nature  and 
succession  of  our  conceptions.  When  any  conception, 
through  the  influence  of  desire  or  emotion,  becomes 
the  prominent  object,  immediately  other  objects  with 
which  this  has  been  associated  in  past  experience  be- 
gin to  return  and  gather  around  it  in  new  combina- 
tions. Thus  a  new  picture  is  presented  before  the 
mind,  from  which  it  again  selects  an  object  according 
as  desire  or  emotion  regulates,  which,  under  this  influ- 
ence, grows  vivid  and  distinct.  Around  this  new  ob- 
ject immediately  begin  to  cluster  its  past  associates,  till 
still  another  scene  is  fresh  arrayed  before  the  mind. 

In  these  new  combinations,  those  objects  which  are 
least  interesting  continually  disappear,  while  those  most 
interesting  are  retained  to  form  a  part  of  the  succeed- 
ing picture.  Thus,  in  every  mental  picture,  desire  or 
emotion  seems  to  call  forth  objects  which  start  out,  as 
it  were,  in  bold  relief  from  all  others,  and  call  from 
the  shade  of  obscurity  the  companions  of  their  former 
existence,  which  gather  around  them  in  new  and  va- 
ried combinations. 

Thus  it  is  shown  that  the  chief  mode  by  which  we 
regulate  the  nature  and  succession  of  our  thoughts  is 
by  the  choices  we  make  of  our  objects  of  pursuit.  What- 
ever we  choose  as  our  chief  end^  or  leading  object  of 
desire,  becomes  the  regulator  of  our  emotions,  our  de- 
sires and  our  thoughts.  Thus  we  have  power  to  con- 
trol our  thoughts  aright  only  by  choosing  right  objects 
of  pursuit.     We  have  power  to  regulate  them  in  this 


64  •  NATURE     OF     MIND. 

way,  and  but  very  little  power  to  control  them  in  any 
other. 

The  mere  determination  to  think  only  on  certain 
subjects  in  which  we  feel  very  little  interest  avails  but 
for  a  short  time.  Speedily  the  mind  returns  to  its 
natural  course,  and  brings  forward  only  those  objects 
connected  with  our  chief  objects  of  desire  and  pursuit. 


CHAPTEK    XIY. 

NATURE  OF  MIND.- 

SUSCEPTIBILITIES. 

Those  susceptibilities  of  pleasure  and  pain  which 
are  affected  by  the  conduct  of  ourselves  or  others,  in 
reference  to  rules  of  right  and  wrong^  are  called  the 
moral  sense,  or  the  moral  susceptibilities. 

In  order  to  a  more  clear  view  of  this  part  of  the 
subject,  it  is  important  to  inquire  as  to  the  manner  in 
which  the  ideas  of  right  and  wrong  seem  to  originate. 

The  young  child  first  notices  that  certain  actions  of 
its  own  are  regarded  with  smiles  and  tones  of  love 
and  approval,  while  other  acts  occasion  frowns  and 
tones  of  displeasure. 

Next,  it  perceives  that  whatever  gives  pleasure  to 
itself  is  called  good  and  right,  while  whatever  causes 
unpleasant  feelings  is  called  bad  and  wrong.  More- 
over, it  notices  that  there  is  a  right  and  wrong  way  to 
hold  its  spoon,  to  use  its  playthings,  to  put  on  its 
clothes,  and  to  do  multitudes  of  other  things.  It  thus 
perceives,  more  and  more,  that  there  are  rules  to  regu- 


MORAL     SUSCEPTIBILITIES.  65 

late  the  use  and  action  of  all  things,  both  animate  and 
inanimate,  and  that  such  rules  always  have  reference 
to  some  plan  or  design. 

As  its  faculties  develop  and  its  observation  enlarges, 
the  general  impression  is  secured  that  all  plans  and 
contrivances  of  men  are  designed  to  promote  enjoj^- 
ment  or  to  prevent  discomfort,  and  are  called  good 
and  right  just  so  far  as  this  is  done.  At  the  same 
time,  all  that  tend  to  discomfort  or  pain  are  called  bad 
and  wrong. 

In  all  the  works  of  nature  around,  too,  every  thing 
that  promotes  enjoyment  is  called  good  and  right,  and 
the  opposite  is  called  evil  and  wrong. 

At  last  there  is  a  resulting  feeling  that  the  great 
design  of  all  things  is  to  secure  good  and  prevent 
evil,  and  that  whatever  is  opposed  to  this  is  wrong, 
and  unfitted  to  the  object  for  which  all  things  exist. 
The  question  whether  this  impression  is  owing  solely 
to  observation  or  partly  to  mental  constitution  is 
waived,  as  of  little  practical  consequence. 

In  the  experience  of  infancy  and  childhood,  the  law 
of  sacrifice  is  speedily  developed.  It  is  perceived  that 
much  of  the  good  to  be  gained,  if  sought  to  excess, 
occasions  pain,  so  that  there  must  be  a  certain  amount 
of  self-denial  practiced,  which,  to  the  young  novice, 
sometimes  involves  disappointment  and  discomfort.  It 
is  also  seen  that  frequently  two  or  more  enjoyments 
are  offered  which  are  incompatible,  so  that  one  must 
be  relinquished  to  gain  the  other.  It  is  perceived,  also, 
that  there  is  a  constant  calculation  going  on  as  to  which 
will  be  the  best — ^that  is,  which  will  secure  the  most  good 
with  the  least  evil.  And  the  child  is  constantly  instructed 
that  it  must  avoid  excess,  and  must  give  up  what  is  of 

i 


QQ  NATURE     OF     MIND. 

less  value  to  secure  the  greater  good  All  tliis  training 
involves  sacrifices  which  are  more  or  less  painful,  so 
that  a  young  child  will  sometimes  cry  as  it  volimtarily 
gives  up  one  kind  of  pleasure  as  the  only  mode  of  se- 
curing what  is  best. 

It  is  perceived,  also,  that  there  is  a  constant  balanc- 
ing of  good  and  evil,  so  that  a  given  amount  of  enjoy- 
ment cancels  or  repays  for  a  certain  amount  of  evil. 
When  a  great  amount  of  enjoyment  is  purchased  by 
a  small  degree  of  labor  or  trouble,  the  compound  re-' 
suit  is  deemed  a  good,  and  called  right ;  on  the  con- 
trary, when  the  evil  involved  exceeds  a  given  amount 
111  comparison  to  the  good,  the  compound  result  is 
called  evil  and  wrong. 

Thus  is  generated  the  impression  that  there  is  a  law 
of  sacrifice  instituted  requiring  the  greatest  pc  ::sible 
good  with  the  least  possible  evil,  and  that  this  is  the 
great  design  of  all  things. 

The  impression  is,  not  merely  that  we  are  to  seek 
enjoyment  and  avoid  pain,  but  that  we  are  to  seek  the 
greatest  possible  good  with  the  least  possible  evil,  and 
that  in  doing  this  we  are  to  obey  the  law  of  sacrifice, 
by  which  the  greatest  good  is  to  be  bought  by  a  certain 
amount  of  evil  voluntarily  assumed. 

Moreover,  the  child  is  thus  gradually  trained  to  un- 
derstand that  good  and  evil  are  to  be  regarded  in  two 
relations.  Any  thing  and  every  thing  is  called  good 
when  it  in  any  way  gives  enjoyment  to  any  being. 

But  if  the  good  can  be  secured  only  by  sacrificing  a 
greater  good  or  by  inflicting  a  greater  evil,  then,  in 
this  relation,  the  good  is  called  evil  and  wrong.  Thus^ 
in  one  relation  eating  a  delicious  fruit  is  a  good,  be- 
cause it  gives  enjoyment.     But  if  such  is  the  state  of 


MOEAL     SUSCEPTIBILITIES.  67 

a  child's  stomach,  that  sickness  and  suffering  will  fol- 
low the  act,  then  it  is  evil  and  wrong. 

The  early  training  of  infancy  introduces  the  first 
part  of  the  great  law  of  sacrifice  in  regard  to  sej/^  alone. 
But  as  the  intellect  develops,  the  existence  of  other 
minds  is  learned,  and  their  happiness  or  suffering  be- 
come subjects  of  attention.  Here  the  calculations  of 
the  balance  of  good  and  evil  become  more  and  more 
complicated.  And  the  two  relations  also  become  more 
definite  and  extensive.  Whatever  gives  pleasure  is 
always  called  good  and  right,  until  some  evil  is  dis- 
covered as  connected  with  it,  not  alone  or  chiefly  to 
self,  but  to  others  also.  Then  the  compound  result 
is  sought  for,  and  if  it  is  seen  that,  on  the  whole,  what 
by  itself  would  be  good  and  right  if  dissevered  from  its 
connected  evil,  does  involve  7nore  evil  than  good,  then 
it  is  called  evil  and  wrong.  But  if  the  balance  shows 
so  great  an  amount  of  good  as  pajs  for  certain  inci- 
dental evils,  then  the  result  is  called  good  and  right. 

The  child  also  very  early  learns  that  the  character 
of  those  around  is  estimated  by  their  reference  to  this 
mode  of  regarding  good  and  evil,  right  and  wrong. 
If  a  child  simply  seeks  good  to  it^lf  without  any 
regard  to  the  amount  of  evil  involved  as  a  consequence, 
he  is  called  a  bad  child.  On  the  contrary,  those  who 
make  sacrifice  of  their  wishes  and  plans  to  avoid 
what  would  bring  evil  on  others,  are  called  good, 
generous,  lovely  and  virtuous.  The  youngest  child 
soon  perceives  that  its  mother  and  other  friends  are 
constantly  making  sacrifices  for  its  own  good,  and 
beariDg  inconveniences  and  trouble  for  the  good  of 
those  around.     And  those  who  perform  such  acts  of 


68  NATUKE     OF     MIND. 

benevolent  self-sacrifice  are  praised,  and  their  conduct 
is  called  good  and  right. 

Thus  arises  a  conviction  or  belief  that  the  design 
or  end  for  which  every  thing  exists  is  to  make  the  most 
happiness  possible,  and  that  those  who  conform  to  this 
design  are  acting  right,  while  those  who  do  not  are 
acting  wrong.  Eventually  there  is  established  this 
conviction,  also,  that  the  voluntary  sacrifice  of  self-enjoy- 
ment to  promote  the  best  good  of  all,  is  the  liighest  kind 
of  right  action,  and  that  those  who  practice  this  the 
most  are  the  test  in  character. 

The  first  feature  of  our  moral  sense,  then,  is,  that 
impression  of  the  great  design  of  all  things  which  enables 
us  to  judge  of  the  right  and  wrong  in  voluntary  action. 
This  also  may  be  placed  as  one  of  the  principles  of  com- 
mon sense.  God  has  so  formed  our  minds  and  their  cir- 
cumstances, that  the  result  is  a  universal  helief  in  every 
rational  mind  that  whatever  secures  the  most  happiness 
with  the  least  evil  is  right^  and  whatever  does  not  is 
wrong.  The  wanton  and  needless  destruction  of  hap- 
piness also  men  believe  to  be  wrong.  Their  only  di- 
versities of  opinion  are  in  regard  to  what  will  be  test 
and  what  will  ngt. 

The  second  feature  of  our  moral  constitution  is 
what  is  ordinarily  called  the  sense  of  justice.  It  is  that 
susceptibility  which  is  excited  at  the  view  of  the  con- 
duct of  others  as  voluntary  causes  of  good  or  evil. 

In  all  cases  where  free  agents  act  to  promote  happi- 
ness, an  emotion  of  approval  arises,  together  with  a 
desire  of  reward  to  the  author  of  the  good.  On  the 
contrary,  when  there  is  a  voluntary  destruction  of 
happiness,  there  is  an  emotion  of  disapproval,  and  a 
desire  for  retributive  pain  on  the  author  of  the  wrong. 


MORAL     SUSCEPTIBILITIES.  69 

These  emotions  are  instinctive,  and  not  at  all  regu- 
lated bj  reason  in  their  inception.  When  an  evil  is 
done,  an  instant  desire  is  felt  to  discover  the  cause  ;  and 
when  it  is  found,  an  instant  desire  is  felt  to  inflict  some 
penalty.  So  irrational  is  this  impulse,  thut  children 
will  exhibit  anger  and  deal  blows  on  inanimate  ob- 
jects that  cause  pain.  Even  mature  minds  are  some- 
times conscious  of  this  impulse. 

That  this  impulse  is  an  implanted  part  of  our  con- 
stitution, and  not  the  result  of  instruction,  is  seen  in 
the  delight  manifested  by  young  children  in  the  nar- 
ration of  the  nursery  tale  where  the  cruel  uncle  who 
murdered  the  Babes  in  the  Wood  receives  the  retribu- 
tions of  Heaven. 

It  is  the  office  of  the  intellect  to  judge  whether  the 
deed  was  a  voluntary  one,  whether  the  agent  intended 
the  mischief,  and  whether  a  penalty  will  be  of  any  use. 
The  impulse  to  punish  is  never  preceded  by  any  such 
calculations. 

Another  feature  in  this  sense  of  justice  is  the  pro- 
'portion  demanded  between  the  evil  done  and  the  pen- 
alty inflicted.  That  this  also  is  instinctive,  and  not  the 
result  of  instruction,  is  seen  in  the  nursery,  where 
children  will  approve  of  slight  penalties  for  slight 
offenses,  and  severe  ones  for  great  ones,  but  will  re- 
volt from  any  very  great  disproportion  between  the 
wrong  act  and  its  penalty.  As  a  general  rule,  both 
in  the  nursery  and  in  mature  minds,  the  greater  the 
wrong  done,  the  stronger  the  desire  for  a  penalty,  and 
the  more  severe  the  punishment  demanded. 

Another  very  important  point  of  consideration  is  the 
universal  feeling  of  mankind  that  the  natural  penalties 
for  wrong-doing  are  not  sufficient^  and  that  it  is  an  act 


70  NATURE     OF     MIND. 

of  love  as  well  as  of  j  ustice  to  add  to  these  penalties. 
Thus  the  parent  who  forbids  his  child  to  eat  green 
fruit  will  not  trust  to  the  results  of  the  natural  pen- 
alty, but  will  restrain  by  the  fear  of  the  immediate 
and  more  easily  conceived  penalty  of  chastisement. 

So,  in  the  great  family  of  man,  the  natural  penalties 
for  thefb  are  not  deemed  sufficient,  but  severe  penalties 
for  the  protection  of  property  are  added. 

This  particular  is  the  foundation  of  certain  distinc- 
tions that  are  of  great  importance,  which  will  now  be 
pointed  out. 

We  find  the  terms  "  reward  smdpunishment'^  used  in 
two  different  relations.  In  the  first  and  widest  sense 
they  signify  not  only  the  penalties  of  human  law,  but 
those  natural  consequences  which,  by  the  constitution 
of  nature,  inevitably  follow  certain  courses  of  conduct. 

Thus  an  indolent  man  is  said  to  receive  poverty  as 
a  punishment,  and  it  is  in  this  sense  that  his  children 
are  said  to  be  punished  for  the  faults  of  their  father. 

The  violations  of  natural  law  are  punished  without 
any  reference  to  the  question  whether  the  evil-doer 
intended  the  wrong,  or  whether  he  sinned  in  igno- 
rance, or  whether  this  ignorance  was  involuntary  and 
unavoidable.  The  question  of  the  justice  or  injustice 
of  such  natural  penalties  involves  the  great  question 
of  the  right  and  wrong  of  the  system  of  the  universe. 
Is  it  just  and  right  for  the  Creator  to  make  a  system 
in  which  all  free  agents  shall  be  thus  led  to  obedience 
to  its  laws  by  penalties  as  well  as  rewards,  by  fear  as 
well  as  by  hope  ?  This  question  will  not  be  discussed 
here. 

Most  discussions  as  to  Just  rewards  and  penalties  or- 
dinarily relate  to  the  added  penalties  by  which  parents, 


MORAL     SUSCEPTIBILITIES.  71 

teachers  and  magistrates  enforce  obedience  to  natural 
or  to  statute  law. 

In  these  questions  reference  is  always  had  to  the 
probable  results  of  such  rewards  and  penalties  in  se- 
curing obedience.  If  experience  has  shown  that  cer- 
tain penalties  do  secure  obedience  to  wise  and  good 
laws,  either  of  nature  or  of  human  enactment,  then 
thej  are  considered  just.  If  they  do  not,  they  are 
counted  unwise  and  unjust. 

So,  if  certain  penalties  are  needlessly  severe — that 
is  to  say,  if  a  less  penalty  will  secure  equal  obedience, 
then  this  also  decides  so  severe  a  penalty  to  be  unjust. 

In  deciding  on  the  rectitude  of  the  penalties  of  Hu- 
man enactments,  it  is  always  assumed  to  be  unjust  to 
punish  for  any  lack  of  knowledge  and  obedience  when 
the  subject  had  no  power  to  know  and  to  obey.  If  a 
clioice  to  obey  will  not  secure  the  act  required  of  a  free 
agent,  then  a  penalty  inflicted  for  disobedience  is  al- 
ways regarded  as  unjust.  The  only  seeming  exception 
to  this  is  the  case  where  a  person,  by  voluntary  means, 
has  deprived  himself  of  ability  to  obey.  But  in  such 
cases  the  punishment  is  felt  to  be  right,  not  because 
he  does  not  obey  when  he  has  no  power,  but  because 
he  has  voluntarily  deprived  himself  of  this  power. 
And  he  is  punished  for  destroying  his  ability  to  obey, 
and  not  for  violating  the  law. 

These  things  in  human  laws,  then,  are  always  de- 
manded to  make  a  penalty  appear  just  to  the  moral 
sense  of  mankind,  namely,  that  the  subject  have  power 
to  obey,  and  that  he  has  opportunity  to  know  the  law, 
and  is  not  ignorant  by  any  voluntary  and  improper 
neglect. 

In  all  questions  of  justice,  therefore,  it  is  important 


72  NATURE     OF     MIND. 

to  discriminate  between  those  penalties  that  are  inhe- 
rent as  a  part  of  the  great  system  of  the  universe,  and 
for  which  the  Creator  alone  is  responsible,  and  those 
additional  penalties  which  result  from  voluntary  insti- 
tutions of  which  men  are  the  authors. 

The  next  feature  in  our  moral  constitution  is  the 
susceptibility  which  is  excited  by  the  intellectual  judg- 
ment of  our  own  feelings  and  conduct  as  either  right 
or  wrong. 

In  case  we  decide  them  to  be  right,  we  experience 
an  emotion  of  self-approval  which  is  very  delightful ; 
but  if  we  decide  that  they  are  wrong,  we  experience 
an  immediate  penalty  in  a  painful  emotion  called  re- 
morse. This  emotion  is  always  proportioned  to  the 
amount  of  evil  done,  and  the  consciousness  that  it  was 
done  knowingly  and  intentionally.  No  suffering  is 
more  keen  than  the  highest  emotions  of  this  kind, 
while  their  pangs  are  often  enduring  and  unappeasable. 
Sometimes  there  is  an  attending  desire  to  inflict  retri- 
bution on  one's  self  as  a  mode  of  alleviating  this  dis- 
tress. 

This  susceptibility  is  usually  denominated  conscience. 
Sometimes  this  word  is  used  to  include  both  the  in- 
tellectual judgment  of  our  conduct  as  right  or  wrong, 
and  the  consequent  emotions  of  approval  or  remorse  ; 
sometimes  it  refers  to  the  susceptibility  alone.  Either 
use  is  correct,  as  in  the  connection  in  which  it  is  em- 
ployed the  distinction  can  ordinarily  be  easily  made. 

This  analysis  of  our  moral  constitution  furnishes 
means  for  a  clear  definition  of  such  terms  as  obligated^ 
ought,  ought  not,  and  the  like. 

A  person  is  obligated  or  ought  to  do  a  thing  when 
he  has  the  intellect  to  perceive  what  is  test,  and  thus 


i 


THE     WILL.  73 

right^  and  the  moral  susceptibilities  just  described. 
When  he  is  destitute  either  of  the  intellect  or  of  these 
susceptibilities,  he  ceases  to  be  a  moral  and  accountable 
being.  He  can  no  longer  be  made  to  feel  any  moral 
obligations. 


CHAPTEK    XV. 

THE  ITATUEE  OF  MIND. — THE  WILL. 

The  power  to  choose  exists  in  other  animals  as  well 
as  in  man,  so  that  it  is  not  this  faculty  which  distin- 
guishes our  race  from  the  brutes.  It  is  another  part 
of  our  nature  which  elevates  us  above  the  lower  ani- 
mals, which  will  now  be  described. 

Irrational  Free  Agency. 

We  have  seen  that  desires  for  good  are  measured 
as  to  their  strength  or  feebleness  by  our  own  con- 
sciousness, and  that  in  multitudes  of  cases  we  choose 
those  things  which  excite  the  strongest  desire.  A  mind 
so  constituted  as  never  to  be  able  to  choose  any  thing 
but  that  which  excites  the  strongest  desire,  would  be 
entirely  dependent  on  circumstances,  and  thus  the 
helpless  sport  of  chance.  This  is  the  kind  of  free 
agency  which  belongs  to  the  brutes,  and  may  properly 
be  called  irrational  free  agency. 

Rational  Free  Agency, 

In  contrast  with  the  above,  we  have  already  de- 
scribed the  mind  of  man  as  possessing  the  power  to 
choose  either  that  which  excites  the  strongest  desire  or 


74  THE     NATURE     OF     MIND. 

that  whicli  tlie  intellect  decides  to  be  best  for  all  con- 
cerned. 

When  there  is  nothing  to  excite  desires,  there  is  no 
power  at  all  to  choose ;  so  that  motives  are  as  iadis- 
pensable  to  the  action  of  the  will  as  physical  causes 
are  to  the  movement  of  matter.  The  more  strongly 
desire  is  excited  the  more  the  power  of  choice  is  in- 
creased. This  gives  rise  to  the  universal  use  of  lan- 
guage which  characterizes  motives  as  stronger  or 
weaker  according  as  desire  is  more  or  less  powerful. 

The  greater  part  of  our  choices  are  for  things  which 
are  bestj  so  that  there  is  no  conflict  between  what  ex- 
cites the  strongest  desire  and  what  is  best  for  all.  Thus 
to  eat,  drink,  walk,  sleep  and  perform  most  of  the 
daily  duties  of  life,  are  cases  where  the  strongest  de- 
sire and  what  is  best  coincide.  In  all  such  cases  we 
choose  that  which  excites  the  strongest  desire.  And 
when  we  assign  the  cause  or  reason  for  our  choice,  we 
say  it  was  the  strongest  desire  which  was  the  cause ; 
that  is  to  say,  it  was  the  occasional  cause  of  our  choice. 
But  our  own  mind  is  the  only  producing  cause  of  its 
own  volitions. 

This  exhibits  the  grand  principle  of  free  agency  in 
distinction  from  its  opposite,  which  is  called  fatalism, 
viz. : 

Motives  are  producing  causes  of  desire^  and  are  occa- 
sional causes  of  choice.  Mind  itself  is  the  only  producing 
cause  of  choice^  having  power  to  choose  either  that  which 
excites  the  strongest  desire  or  that  which  reason  and  con- 
science decide  to  he  lest  for  all  concerned. 

In  opposition  to  this,  the  fatalist  maintains  that 
every  act  of  choice  follows  the  strongest  desire,  so 
that  there  is  the  same  invariable  antecedence  and  s(v 


THEWILL.  75 

quence  between  the  two  as  there  is  in  material  changes 
between  the  necessary  cause  and  effect.  This  being 
so,  the  mind  has  no  power  to  choose  any  thing  but 
that  which  excites  the  strongest  desire. 

Kow,  this  is  a  question  which  every  person,  learned 
or  unlearned,  can  decide.  Have  we  power  to  choose 
any  other  way  than  as  we  do  choose?  Here  it  is 
claimed  that  every  human  being  believes  that  we  have 
this  power,  and  proves  that  he  believes  it  by  word  and 
action.  And  if  any  person  were  habitually  to  talk 
and  act  as  if  he  believed  children  and  men  had  no 
power  to  choose  right  when  they  choose  wrong,  he 
would  be  regarded  as  having  lost  his  reason. 

This,  therefore,  is  placed  as  one  of  the  principles  of 
common  sense,  viz.,  everi/  rational  mind  has  power  to 
choose  either  that  which  excites  the  strongest  desire  or  that 
which  the  intellect  decides  to  be  bestj  even  when  it  does  not 
excite  the  strongest  desire. 

Moral  power  is  the  power  to  control  rational  minds 
by  motives. 

When  no  desire  for  any  good  and  no  fear  of  any 
evil  exists,  the  mind  has  no  power  to  choose.  Ex- 
cited desires  (or  motives)  are  as  indispensable  to  choice 
as  physical  causes  are  to  any  change  in  matter. 

The  stronger  the  desire  for  a  thing,  the  easier  it  is 
to  choose  it ;  and  the  less  desire  there  is  for  a  given 
thing,  the  harder  it  is  to  choose  it.  This  measuring 
of  various  degrees  of  power  to  choose,  is  a  matter  of 
consciousness  to  every  mind,  and  it  is  recognized  in 
all  languages.  And  we  find  that  all  mankind,  of  all 
languages,  recognize  the  fact  that  men  have  power  to 
choose  what  is  best,  even  when  it  conflicts  with  the 
strongest  desire ;  so  much  so,  that  life  itself  has  been 


76  THE     NATURE     OF     MIND. 

relinquished  for  the  good  of  others,  when  there  was 
little  or  no  expectation  of  a  future  life,  or  of  any  con- 
sequent good  fx)  self 

Moreover,  it  will  be  shown  in  a  future  chapter  that 
our  highest  idea  of  virtue  implies  a  conflict  between 
the  strongest  desire  and  the  conviction  of  what  is 
right  and  best  on  the  whole  ;  so  that  sometimes  men 
choose  what  is  seen  to  be  wrong  and  yet  excites  the 
strongest  desire,  and  at  other  times  what  is  right  or 
best,  when  it  does  not  excite  the  strongest  desire. 

All  self-control,  self-denial  and  self-government  in- 
volve the  idea  of  a  conflict  between  the  decisions  of 
reason  and  conscience  as  to  what  is  best  and  right,  and 
the  importunities  of  the  strongest  desire  for  what  is 
not  so. 

Svhordinaie  and  General  Purposes. 

There  is  a  constant  succession  of  selections  to  be 
made  between  different  modes  of  securing  happiness. 
A  lesser  good  is  given  up  for  a  greater,  or  some  good 
relinquished  altogether  to  avoid  some  consequent  pain. 
Often,  also,  some  evil  is  sought  as  the  means  of  se- 
curing some  future  good,  or  of  avoiding  some  greater 
evil.  Thus  men  endure  want,  fatigue  and  famine  to 
purchase  wealth.  Thus  the  nauseous  draught  will 
be  swallowed  to  avoid  the  pains  of  sickness  ;  and  thus 
the  pleasures  of  domestic  affection  will  be  sacrificed 
to  obtain  honor  and  fame.  The  whole  course  of  life 
is  a  constant  succession  of  such  decisions  between  dif- 
ferent modes  of  securing  happiness  and  of  avoiding 
pain. 

In  noticing  the  operation  of  mind,  it  will  be  seen 
that  there  is  a  foundation  for  two  classes  of  volitions 


THEWILL.  77 

or  acts  of  choice,  whicli  may  be  denominated  subordi- 
nate and  general  purposes. 

A  subordinate  purpose  is  one  that  secures  some  par- 
ticular act,  such  as  the  moving  of  the  arm  or  turning 
of  the  head.  Such  volitions  are  ordinarily  consequent 
on  some  more  general  purpose  of  the  mind,  which  they 
aid  in  accomplishing,  and  which  is,  therefore,  denomi- 
nated a  general  or  generic  purpose.  For  example,  a 
man  chooses  to  make  a  certain  journey :  this  is  the 
general  purpose,  and,  in  order  to  carry  it  out,  he  per- 
forms a  great  variety  of  acts,  each  one  of  which  aids 
in  carrying  out  the  generic  decision. 

It  can  be  seen  that  the  general  purposes  may  them- 
selves become  subordinate  to  a  still  more  comprehen- 
sive purpose.  Thus  the  man  may  decide  to  make  a 
journey,  which  is  a  generic  choice  in  reference  to  all 
acts  subordinate  to  this  end.  But  this  journey  may  be 
a  subordinate  part  of  a  more  general  purpose  to  make 
a  fortune,  or  to  secure  some  other  important  end. 

It  is  frequently  the  case  that  a  generic  purpose, 
which  relates  to  objects  that  require  a  long  time  and 
many  complicated  operations,  exists  when  the  mind 
seems  almost  unconscious  of  its  power.  For  example, 
a  man  may  form  a  generic  purpose  to  enter  a  profes- 
sion for  which  years  will  be  required  to  prepare.  And 
while  his  whole  course  of  action  is  regulated  by  this 
decision,  he  engages  in  pursuits  entirely  foreign  to  it, 
and  which  seem  to  engross  his  whole  attention.  These 
pursuits  may  sometimes  be  such  as  are  antagonistic  to 
his  grand  purpose,  so  as  at  least  to  imperil  or  retard 
its  accomplishment.  And  yet  this  strong  and  quiet 
purpose  remains,  and  is  eventually  carried  out. 

It  is  the  case,  also,  that  a  generic  choice  may  be 


78  THE     NATURE     OF     MIND. 

formed  to  be  carried  out  at  some  particular  time  and 
place,  and  then  the  mind  becomes  entirely  unconscious 
of  it  till  the  appointed  period  and  circumstances  occur. 
Then  the  decision  becomes  dominant,  and  controls  all 
other  purposes.  Thus  a  man  may  decide  that,  at  a 
specified  hour,  he  will  stop  his  studies  and  perform 
certain  gymnastic  exercises.  This  volition  is  forgot- 
ten until  the  hour  arrives,  and  then  it  recurs  and  is 
carried  out. 

This  phenomenon  sometimes  occurs  in  sleep.  Some 
persons,  in  watching  with  the  sick,  will  determine  to 
wake  at  given  hours  to  administer  medicines ;  then 
they  will  sleep  soundly  till  the  appointed  time  comes, 
when  they  will  waken  and  perform  the  predetermined 
actions. 

In  regard  to  the  commencement  of  a  generic  purpose, 
we  find  that  sometimes  it  is  so  distinct  and  definite  as 
to  be  the  subject  of  consciousness  and  memory.  For 
example,  a  spendthrift,  in  some  moment  of  suffering 
and  despondency,  may  form  a  determination  to  com- 
mence a  systematic  course  of  thrift  and  economy,  and 
may  actually  carry  it  out  through  all  his  future  life. 
Such  cases  are  often  to  be  found  on  record  or  in  every- 
day life. 

In  other  cases,  this  quiet,  hidden,  but  controlling 
purpose  seems  to  be  formed  by  unconscious  and  im- 
perceptible influences,  so  that  the  mind  can  not  revert 
to  the  specific  time  or  manner  when  it  originated.  For 
example,  a  child  who  is  trained  from  early  life  to 
speak  the  truth,  can  never  revert  to  any  particular 
moment  when  this  generic  purpose  originated. 

It  is  sometimes  the  case,  also,  that  a  person  will  con- 
template some  generic  purpose  before  it  occurs,  while 


J 


THEWILL.  79 

the  process  of  its  final  formation  seems  almost  beyond 
tlie  power  of  scmtiny.  For  example,  a  man  may  be 
urged  to  relinquish  one  employment  and  engage  in 
another.  He  reflects,  consults,  and  is  entirely  uncer- 
tain how  he  shall  decide.  As  time  passes,  he  gradu- 
ally inclines  toward  the  proposed  change,  until,  finally, 
he  finds  his  determination  fixed,  he  scarcely  knows 
when  or  how. 

Thus  it  appears  that  generic  purposes  commence 
sometimes  so  instantaneously  and  obviously  that  the 
time  and  influences  connected  with  them  can  be  rec- 
ognized. In  other  cases,  the  decision  seems  to  be  a 
gradual  one,  while  in  some  instances  the  process  can 
be  traced,  and  in  others  it  is  entirely  unnoticed  or  for- 
gotten. 

It  is  in  reference  to  such  generic  purposes  that  the 
moral  character  of  men  is  estimated.  An  honest  man 
is  one  who  has  a  fixed  purpose  to  act  honestly  in  all 
circumstances.  A  truthful  man  is  one  who  has  such 
a  purpose  to  speak  the  truth  at  all  times. 

In  such  cases,  the  degree  in  which  such  a  purpose 
controls  all  others  is  the  measure  of  a  man's  moral 
character  in  the  estimate  of  society. 

The  history  of  mankind  shows  a  great  diversity  of 
moral  character  dependent  on  such  generic  choices. 
Some  men  possess  firm  and  reliable  moral  principles 
in  certain  directions,  while  they  are  very  destitute  of 
them  in  others. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  some  have  formed  a  very 
decided  purpose  in  regard  to  honesty  in  business  af- 
fairs, who  yet  are  miserable  victims  to  intemperance. 
Others  have  cultivated  a  principle  called  Aowor,  that 
restrains  them  from  certain  actions  regarded  as  mean. 


80  THE     NATURE     OP     MIND. 

and  yet  they  may  be  frequenters  of  gambling  saloons 
and  other  haunts  of  vice. 

In  the  religions  world,  too,  it  is  the  case  that  some 
who  are  very  firm  and  decided  on  all  points  of  relig- 
ious observances  and  in  the  cultivation  of  devotional 
emotions,  are  guilty  of  very  mean  actions,  such  as  some 
worldly  men  of  honor  would  not  practice  at  the  sacri- 
fice of  a  right  hand. 

On  a  Ruling  Purpose  or  Chief  End, 

The  most  important  of  all  the  voluntary  phenomena 
is  the  fact  that,  while  there  can  be  a  multitude  of 
these  quiet  and  hidden  generic  purposes  in  the  mind, 
it  is  also  possible  to  form  one  which  shall  be  the  domi- 
nant or  controlling  one,  to  which  all  the  others,  both 
generic  and  specific,  shall  become  subordinate.  In 
common  parlance  this  would  be  called  the  ruling  pas- 
sion. It  is  also  called  the  ruling  purpose^  or  controlling 
principle.  This  consists  in  the  permanent  choice  of 
some  one  mode  of  securing  happiness  as  the  chief  end 
or  grand  object  of  life. 

There  is  a  great  variety  of  sources  of  happiness  and 
of  suffering  to  the  human  mind.  Now  in  the  history 
of  our  race  we  find  that  each  one  of  these  modes  of 
enjoyment  has  been  selected  by  different  individuals 
as  the  chief  end  of  their  existence — as  the  mode  of 
seeking  enjoyment  to  which  they  sacrifice  every  other. 
Some  persons  have  chosen  the  pleasures  of  eating, 
drinking,  and  the  other  grosser  enjoyments  of  sense. 
Others  have  chosen  those  more  elevated  and  refined 
pleasures  that  come  indirectly  from  the  senses  in  the 
emotions  of  taste. 

Others  have  devoted  themselves  to  intellectual  en- 


THEWILL.  81 

jojments  as  their  cliief  resource  for  happiness.  Others 
liave  selected  the  exercise  of  physical  and  moral  power, 
as  in  the  case  of  conquerors  and  physical  heroes,  or 
of  those  who  have  sought  to  control  by  moral  power, 
as  rulers  and  statesmen. 

Others  have  made  the  attainment  of  the  esteem,  ad- 
miration, and  love  of  their  fellow-creatures,  their  chief 
end.  Others,  still,  have  devoted  themselves  to  the 
promotion  of  happiness  around  them  as  their  chief  in- 
terest. Others  have  devoted  themselves  to  the  service 
of  God,  or  what  they  conceived  to  be  such,  and  some- 
times by  the  most  miserable  life  of  asceticism  and  self- 
torture. 

Others  have  made  it  their  main  object  in  life  to  obey 
the  laws  of  rectitude  and  virtue. 

In  all  these  cases,  the  moral  character  of  the  person, 
in  the  view  of  all  observers,  has  been  decided  by  this 
dominant  volition,  and  exactly  in  proportion  to  the 
supremacy  with  which  it  has  actually  controlled  all 
other  purposes. 

Some  minds  seem  to  have  no  chief  end  of  life.  Their 
existence  is  a  succession  of  small  purposes,  each  of 
which  has  its  turn  in  controlling  the  life.  Others  have 
a  strong,  defined  and  all-controlling  principle. 

Kow  experience  shows  that  both  of  these  classes 
are  capable,  the  one  of  forming  and  the  other  of  chang- 
ing such  a  purpose.  For  example,  in  a  time  of  peace 
and  ease  there  is  little  to  excite  the  mind  strongly ; 
but  let  a  crisis  come,  where  fortune,  reputation,  and  life 
are  at  stake,  and  men  and  women  are  obliged  to  form 
generic  decisions  involving  all  they  hold  dear,  and 
many  minds  that  have  no  controlling  purpose  imme- 
diately originate  one,  while  those  whose  former  ruling 

1* 


82  THENATUREOFMIjSTD. 

aims  were  in  one  direction  change  them  entirely  to 
another. 

This  shows  how  it  is  that  days  of  peril  create  heroes, 
statesmen  and  strong  men  and  women.  The  hour  of 
danger  calls  all  the  energies  of  the  soul  into  action. 
Great  purposes  are  formed  with  the  strongest  desire 
and  emotion.  Instantly  the  whole  current  of  thought, 
and  all  the  coexisting  desires  and  emotions,  are  con- 
formed to  these  purposes. 

The  experience  of  mankind  proves  that  a  dominant 
generic  purpose  may  extend  to  a  whole  life^  and  actually 
control  all  other  generic  and  specific  volitions. 

How  the  Thoughts^  Desires  and  Emotions  are  controlled 
hy  the  Will 

"We  will  now  consider  some  of  the  modes  by  which 
the  will  controls  the  thoughts,  desires  and  emotions. 

We  have  seen,  in  previous  pages,  the  influeuce  which 
desire  and  emotion  exert  in  making  both  our  percep- 
tions and  conceptions  more  vivid.  Whatever  purpose 
or  aim  in  life  becomes  an  object  of  strong  desire,  is 
always  distinctly  and  vividly  conceived,  while  all  less 
interesting  objects  are  more  faint  and  indistinct. 

We  have  also  seen  that  whenever  any  conception 
arises  it  always  brings  connected  objects,  forming  a 
new  and  complex  picture. 

Whenever  the  mind  is  under  the  influence  of  a  con- 
trolling purpose,  the  object  of  pursuit  is  always  more 
interesting  than  any  other.  This  interest  always  fastens 
on  those  particulars  in  any  mental  combination  thac 
are  connected  with  the  ruling  purpose  and  seem  fitted 
to  promote  it,  making  them  more  vivid.  Around 
these  selected  objects  their  past  associated  ideas  begin 


THEWILL.  83 

to  cluster,  forming  other  complex  pictures.  In  all 
these  combinations,  those  ideas  most  consonant  with 
the  leading  interest  of  the  mind  become  most  vivid, 
and  the  others  fade  away. 

The  grand  method,  then,  for  regulating  the  thoughts 
is  by  the  generic  decisions  of  the  mind  as  to  the  modes 
of  seeking  enjoyment. 

In  regard  to  the  power  of  the  mind  over  its  own  cfe- 
sires  and  emotions,  it  is  very  clear  that  these  sensibili- 
ties can  not  be  regulated  by  direct  specific  volitions. 
Let  any  person  try  to  produce  love,  fear,  joy,  hope  or 
gratitude  by  simply  choosing  to  have  them  arise,  and 
it  is  soon  perceived  that  no  such  power  exists. 

But  there  are  indirect  modes  by  which  the  mind  can 
control  its  susceptibilities.  The  first  method  is  by  di- 
recting attention  to  those  objects  of  thought  which  are 
fitted  to  call  forth  such  emotions.  For  example,  if 
we  wish  to  awaken  the  emotion  of  fear,  we  can  place 
ourselves  in  circumstances  of  danger,  or  call  up  ideas 
of  horror  and  distress.  K  we  wish  to  call  forth  emo- 
tions of  gratitude,  we  can  direct  attention  to  acts  of 
kindness  to  ourselves  calculated  to  awaken  such  feel- 
ings.. If  we  wish  to  excite  desire  for  any  object,  we 
can  direct  attention  to  those  qualities  in  that  object 
that  are  calculated  to  excite  desire.  In  all  these  cases 
the  mind  can,  by  an  act  of  will,  direct  its  attention  to 
subjects  calculated  to  excite  emotion  and  desire. 

The  other  mode  of  regulating  the  desires  and  emo- 
tions is  by  the  direction  of  our  generic  volitions.  For 
example,  let  a  man  of  business,  who  has  never  had 
any  interest  in  commerce,  decide  to  invest  all  his  prop- 
erty in  foreign  trade.  As  soon  as  this  is  done,  the 
name  of  the  ship  that  bears  his  all  can  never  be  heard 


84  THE     NATURE     OF     MIND. 

or  seen  but  it  excites  some  emotion.  A  storm,  that 
before  "would  go  unnoticed,  awakens  fear ;  the  prices 
in  the  commercial  markets,  before  unheeded,  now 
awaken  fear  or  afford  pleasure.  And  thus  multitudes 
of  varied  desires  and  emotions  are  called  into  existence 
by  this  one  generic  volition. 

One  result  of  a  purpose  to  deny  an  importunate  pro- 
pensity is  frequently  seen  in  the  immediate  or  gradual 
diminution  of  that  desire.  For  example,  if  a  person 
is  satisfied  that  a  certain  article  of  food  is  injurious 
and  resolves  on  total  abstinence^  it  will  be  found  that 
the  desire  for  it  is  very  much  reduced,  far  more  so  than 
when  the  effort  is  to  diminish  the  indulgence. 

When  a  generic  purpose  is  formed  that  involves 
great  interests,  it  is  impossible  to  prevent  the  desires 
and  emotions  from  running  consonant  with  this  pur- 
pose. The  only  mode  of  changing  this  current  is  to 
give  up  this  generic  purpose  and  form  another.  Thus, 
if  a  man  has  devoted  his  whole  time  and  energies  to 
money-making,  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  prevent  his 
thoughts  and  feelings  from  running  in  that  direction. 
He  must  give  up  this  as  his  chief  end,  and  take  a  no- 
bler object,  if  he  would  elevate  the  whole  course  of 
bis  mental  action. 

These  are  the  principal  phenomena  of  the  grand 
mental  faculty  which  is  the  controlling  power  of  the 
mind,  and  on  the  regulation  of  which  all  its  other 
powers  are  dependent. 

The  nature  of  regeneration^  and  the  question  whether 
it  is  instantaneous  or  gradual  or  both,  all  are  inti- 
mately connected  with  the  subject  of  this  chapter. 


THEHUMANMIND.  85 

CHAPTEK    XYI. 

CONSTITUTIONAL   VAKIETIES  OF  THE  HUMAN  MIND. 

In  the  preceding  cliapters  have  been  presented  tHe 
most  important  mental  faculties  which  are  common  to 
the  race.  There  are  none  of  the  powers  and  attributes 
of  the  mind  as  yet  set  forth  which  do  not  belong  to 
every  mind  which  is  regarded  as  rational  and  com- 
plete. 

But,  though  all  the  race  have  these  in  common,  yet 
we  can  not  but  observe  an  almost  endless  variety  of 
human  character,  resulting  from  the  diverse  proj>ortions 
and  combinations  of  these  several  faculties. 

These  constitutional  differences  may  be  noticed,  first, 
in  regard  to  the  intellectual  powers.  Some  minds  are 
naturally  predisposed  to  exercise  the  reasoning  pow- 
ers. Others,  with  precisely  the  same  kind  of  culture, 
have  little  relish  for  this,  and  little  power  of  appre- 
ciating an  argument. 

In  other  cases,  the  imagination  seems  to  be  the  pre- 
dominating faculty.  In  other  minds  there  seems  to 
"be  an  equal  balance  of  faculties,  so  that  no  particular 
power  predominates. 

Next  we  see  the  same  variety  in  reference  to  the 
susceptibilities.  In  some  minds,  the  desire  for  love 
and  admiration  is  the  predominating  principle.  In 
others,  the  love  of  power  takes  the  lead.  Some  are 
eminently  sympathizing.  Others  have  a  strong  love 
of  rectitude,  or  natural  conscience.  In  some,  the  prin- 
ciple of  justice  predominates.  In  others,  benevolence 
is  the  leading  impulse. 


CONSTITUTIONAL     VARIETIES 


J 


Finally,  in  regard  to  the  power  of  volition,  as  has 
been  before  indicated,  there  are  some  that  possess  a 
strong  will  that  is  decisive  and  effective  in  regulating 
all  specific  volitions,  while  others  possess  various  and 
humbler  measures  of  this  power. 

According  to  the  science  of  Phrenology,  some  of 
these  peculiarities  of  mind  are  indicated  by  the  size 
and  shape  of  different  portions  of  the  brain,  and  ex- 
ternally indicated  on  the  skull. 

That  these  differences  are  constitutional,  and  not  the 
result  of  education,  is  clear  from  the  many  facts  show- 
ing that  no  degree  of  care  or  training  will  serve  to  ef- 
face these  distinctive  traits  of  the  mind.  To  a  certain 
degree  they  may  be  modified  by  education,  and  the 
equal  balance  of  the  faculties  be  promoted,  but  never 
to  such  a  degree  as  to  efface  very  marked  peculiarities. 

In  addition  to  the  endless  diversities  that  result 
from  these  varied  proportions  and  combinations,  there 
is  a  manifest  variety  in  the  grades  of  mind.  Some 
i  races  are  much  lower  in  the  scale  of  being  every  way 
than  others,  while  the  same  disparity  exists  in  individ- 
uals of  the  same  race. 

The  wisdom  and  benevolence  of  this  arrangement 
is  very  manifest  when  viewed  in  reference  to  the  in- 
terests of  a  commonwealth.  "Where  some  must  lead 
and  others  follow,  it  is  well  that  some  have  the  love 
of  power  strong,  and  others  have  it  less.  Where 
some  must  be  rulers,  to  inflict  penalties  as  well  as  to 
apportion  rewards,  it  is  well  that  there  be  some  who 
have  the  sense  of  justice  as  a  leading  principle.  And 
so  in  the  developments  of  intellect.  Some  men  are  to 
follow  callings  where  the  reasoning  powers  are  most 
needed.     Others  are  to  adopt  pursuits  in  which  taste 


NATUEE     OF     MIND.  87 

and  imagination  are  chiefly  required ;  and  thus  the 
varied  proportions  of  these  faculties  become  service- 
able. 

And  if  it  be  true  that  the  exercise  of  the  social  and 
moral  faculties  secures  the  highest  degree  of  enjoy- 
ment, those  disparities  in  mental  powers  which  give 
exercise  to  the  virtues  of  compassion,  self-denial,  for- 
titude and  benevolence  in  serving  the  weak,  and  the 
corresponding  exercises  of  gratitude,  reverence,  hu- 
mility and  devotion  in  those  who  are  thus  benefited, 
then  we  can  see  the  wisdom  and  benevolence  of  this 
gradation  of  mental  capacity. 

Moreover,  in  a  commonwealth  perfectly  organized, 
where  the  happiness  of  the  whole  becomes  that  of  eacli 
part,  whatever  tends  to  the  highest  general  good  tends 
to  the  best  interest  of  each  individual  member.  This 
being  so,  the  lowest  and  humblest  in  the  scale  of  be- 
ing, in  his  appropriate  place,  is  happier  than  he  could 
be  by  any  other  arrangement,  and  happier  than  he 
could  be  if  all  were  equally  endowed. 

This  subject  is  very  important,  because  some  theo- 
logians present  these  disparities  of  mental  organization 
as  indications  of  the  depravity  consequent  on  Adam's 
sin. 


CHAPTEE    XVII. 

NATURE    OF    MIND. — HABIT. 

This  chapter  is  introduced  because  some  theolo- 
gians claim  that  the  depravity  of  man  consists  either 
in  a  habit  or  in  something  lihe  a  habit. 


88  NATURE     OF     MIND. 

Habit  is  a  facility  in  performing  physical  or  mental 
operations,  gained  by  the  repetition  of  such  acts.  As 
examples  of  this  in  physical  operations  may  be  men- 
tioned the  power  of  walking,  which  is  acquired  only 
by  a  multitude  of  experiments  ;  the  power  of  speech, 
secured  by  a  slow  process  of  repeated  acts  of  imita- 
tion ;  and  the  power  of  writing,  gained  in  the  same 
way.  Success  in  every  pursuit  of  life  is  attained  by 
oft-repeated  attempts,  which  finally  induce  a  habit. 

As  examples  of  the  formation  of  intellectual  habits, 
may  be  mentioned  the  facility  gained  in  acquiring 
knowledge  by  means  of  repeated  efforts,  and  the  accu- 
racy and  speed  with  which  the  process  of  reasoning  is 
performed  after  long  practice  in  this  art. 

As  examples  of  moral  habits  may  be  mentioned 
those  which  are  formed  by  the  oft-repeated  exercise 
of  self-government,  justice,  veracity,  obedience,  and 
industry.  The  will,  as  has  been  shown,  gains  a  facil- 
ity in  controlling  specific  volitions  and  in  yielding 
obedience  to  the  laws  of  right  action  by  constant  use, 
as  really  as  do  all  the  other  mental  powers. 

The  happiness  of  man,  in  the  present  state  of  exist- 
ence, depends  not  so  much  upon  the  circumstances  in 
which  he  is  placed,  or  the  capacities  with  which  he  is 
endowed,  as  upon  the  formation  of  his  habits.  A  man 
might  have  the  organ  of  sight,  and  be  surrounded  with 
all  the  beauties  of  nature,  and  yet,  if  he  did  not  form 
the  habit  of  judging  of  the  form,  distance  and  size  of 
bodies,  most  of  the  pleasure  and  use  from  this  sense 
would  be  wanting.  The  world  and  all  its  beauties 
would  be  a  mere  confused  mass  of  colors. 

If  the  habits  of  walking  and  of  speech  were  not  ac- 
quired, these  faculties  and  the  circumstances  for  em- 


HABIT.  89 

ploying  tliem  would  not  furnisli  tlie  enjoyment  they 
were  designed  to  secure. 

It  is  also  the  formation  of  intellectual  habits  by  men- 
tal discipline  and  study,  which  opens  vast  resources 
for  enjoyment  that  otherwise  would  be  for  ever  closed. 
And  it  is  by  practicing  obedience  to  parents  that 
moral  habits  of  subordination  are  formed,  which  are 
indispensable  to  our  happiness  as  citizens,  and  as  sub- 
jects of  government.  There  is  no  enjoyment  which 
can  be  pointed  out,  which  is  not,  to  a  greater  or  less 
extent,  dependent  upon  this  principle. 

The  influence  of  habit  in  regard  to  the  law  of  sac- 
rifice is  especially  interesting.  The  experience  of  mul- 
titudes of  our  race  shows  that  such  tastes  and  habits 
may  be  formed  in  obeying  this  law,  that  what  was 
once  difficult  and  painful  becomes  easy  and  pleasant. 

But  this  ability  to  secure  enjoyment  through  habits 
of  self-control  and  self-denial,  induced  by  long  prac- 
tice, so  far  as  experience  shows,  could  never  be  secured 
by  any  other  method. 

That  the  highest  kinds  of  happiness  are  to  be  pur- 
chased by  more  or  less  voluntary  sacrifice  and  suffering 
to  procure  good  for  others,  seems  to  be  a  part  of  that 
nature  of  things  which  we  at  least  may  suppose  has 
existed  from  eternity.  We  can  conceive  of  the  eternal 
First  Cause  only  as  we  imagine  a  mind  on  the  same 
pattern  as  our  own  in  constitutional  capacities,  but  in- 
definitely enlarged  in  extent  and  action.  Knowledge, 
wisdom,  power,  justice,  benevolence  and  rectitude, 
must  be  the  same  in  the  Creator  as  in  ourselves,  at  least 
so  far  as  we  can  conceive  ;  and,  as  the  practice  of  self- 
sacrifice  and  suffering  for  the  good  of  others  is  our 
highest  conception  of  virtue,  it  is  impossible  to  regard 


90  NATURE     OF     MIND. 

the  Eternal  Mind  as  all-perfect  without  involving  this 
idea. 

The  formation  of  the  habits  depends  chiefly  upon 
the  leading  desire  or  governing  purpose,  because  what- 
ever the  mind  desires  the  most  it  will  act  the  most  to 
secure,  and  thus  by  repeated  acts  will  form  its  habits. 
The  character  of  every  individual,  therefore,  as  before 
indicated,  depends  upon  the  mode  of  seeking  hnppi- 
ness  selected  by  the  will.  Thus  the  ambitious  man 
has  selected  the  attainment  of  power  and  admiration  as 
his  leading  purpose,  and  whatever  modes  of  enjoyment 
interfere  with  this  are  sacrificed.  The  sensual  man 
seeks  his  happiness  from  the  various  gratifications  of 
sense,  and  sacrifices  other  modes  of  enjoyment  that 
interfere  with  this.  The  man  devoted  to  intellectual 
pursuits,  and  to  seeking  reputation  and  inflience 
through  this  medium,  sacrifices  other  modes  of  enjoy- 
ment to  secure  this  gratification.  The  man  who  has 
devoted  his  affections  and  the  service  of  his  life  to 
God  and  the  good  of  his  fellow-men,  sacrifices  all 
other  enjoyments  to  secure  that  which  results  from  the 
fulfillment  of  such  obligations.  Thus  a  person  is  an 
ambitious  man,  a  sensual  man,  a  man  of  literary  am- 
bitioD,  or  a  man  of  piety  and  benevolence,  according 
to  the  governing  purpose  or  leading  choice  of  his 
mind. 

There  is  one  fact  in  regard  to  the  choice  of  the  lead- 
ing object  of  desire,  or  the  governing  purpose  of  life, 
which  is  very  important.  Certain  modes  of  enjoy- 
ment, in  consequence  of  repetition,  increase  the  desire, 
but  lessen  the  capacity  of  happiness  from  this  source ; 
while,  in  regard  to  others,  gratification  increases  the 


HABIT.  91 

desire,  and  at  the  same  time  increases  the  capacity  for 
enjoyment. 

The  enjoyments  through  the  senses  are  of  the  first 
kind.  It  will  be  found,  as  a  matter  of  universal  ex- 
perience, that  where  this  has  been  chosen  as  the  main 
purpose  of  life,  though  the  desire  for  such  pleasures  is 
continually  increased,  yet,  owing  to  the  physical  ef- 
fects of  excessive  indulgence,  the  capacity  for  enjoy- 
ment is  decreased.  Thus  the  man  who  so  degrades 
his  nature  as  to  make  the  pleasures  of  eating  and 
drinking  the  great  pursuit  of  life,  while  his  desires 
never  abate,  finds  his  zest  for  such  enjoyments  contin- 
ually decreasing,  and  a  perpetual  need  for  new  devices 
to  stimulate  appetite  and  awaken  the  dormant  capaci- 
ties. The  pleasures  of  sense  always  pall  from  repeti- 
tion — grow  "  stale,  flat  and  unprofitable,"  though  the 
deluded  being  who  has  thus  slavishly  yielded  to  such 
appetites  feels  himself  bound  by  chains  of  habit,  which, 
even  when  enjoyment  ceases,  seldom  are  broken. 

The  pleasures  derived  from  the  exercise  of  power, 
when  its  attainment  becomes  the  master  passion,  are 
also  of  this  description.  The  statesman,  the  politician, 
the  conqueror,  are  all  seeking  for  this,  and  desire  never 
abates  while  any  thing  of  the  kind  remains  to  be  at- 
tained. We  do  not  find  that  enjoyment  increases  in 
proportion  as  power  is  secured.  On  the  contrary,  it 
seems  to  cloy  in  possession.  Alexander,  the  con- 
queror of  the  world,  when  he  had  gained  all^  wept  that 
objects  of  desire  were  extinct,  and  that  possession 
could  not  satisfy. 

But  there  are  other  sources  of  happiness  for  which 
the  desire  ever  continues,  and  possession  only  in- 
creases the  capacity  for  enjoyment.     Of  this  class  is 


92  NATURE     OF     MIND. 

tlie  susceptibility  of  happiness  from  giving  and  receiv- 
ing affection.  Here,  the  more  there  is  given  and  re- 
ceived, the  more  is  the  power  of  giving  and  receiving 
increased.  We  find  that  this  principle  outlives  every 
other,  and  even  the  decays  of  nature  itself.  "When 
tottering  age  on  the  borders  of  the  grave  is  just  ready 
to  resign  its  wasted  tenement,  often  from  its  dissolving 
ashes  the  never-dying  spark  of  affection  has  burst 
forth  with  new  and  undiminished  luster.  This  is  that 
immortal  fountain  of  happiness  always  increased  by 
imparting,  never  surcharged  by  receiving. 

Another  principle,  which  increases  both  desire  and 
capacity  by  exercise,  is  the  power  of  enjoyment  from 
being  the  cause  of  happiness  to  others.  Never  was  an 
instance  known  of  regret  for  devotion  to  the  happi- 
ness of  others.  On  the  contrary,  the  more  this  holy 
and  delightful  principle  is  in  exercise,  the  more  the 
desires  are  increased,  and  the  more  are  the  suscepti- 
bilities for  enj  oy me nt  from  this  source  enlarged.  While 
the  votaries  of  pleasure  are  wearing  down  with  the 
exhaustion  of  abused  nature,  and  the  votaries  of  am- 
bition are  sighing  over  its  thorny  wreath,  the  benevo- 
lent spirit  is  exulting  in  the  success  of  its  plans  of 
good,  and  reaching  forth  to  still  purer  and  more  per- 
fect bliss. 

This  principle  is  especially  true  in  regard  to  the 
practice  of  rectitude.  The  more  the  leading  aim  of  the 
mind  is  devoted  to  right  feeling  and  action^  or  to  obe- 
dience to  all  the  laws  of  God,  the  more  both  the  de- 
sire and  the  capacity  of  enjoyment  from  this  source  are 
increased. 

But  there  is  another  fact  in  regard  to  habit,  which 
has  an  immense  bearing  on  the  well-being  of  our  racQ. 


HABIT.  93 

When  a  habit  of  seeking  happiness  in  some  one  par- 
ticular mode  is  once  formed,  the  change  of  this  habit 
becomes  diflQ.cult  just  in  proportion  to  the  degree  of 
repetition  which  has  been  practiced.  A  habit  once 
formed,  it  is  no  longer  an  easy  matter  to  choose  be- 
tween the  mode  of  securing  happiness  chosen  and  an- 
other which  the  mind  may  be  led  to  regard  as  much 
superior.  Thus,  in  gratifying  the  appetite,  a  man 
may  feel  that  his  happiness  is  continually  diminishing, 
and  that,  by  sacrificing  this  passion,  he  may  secure 
much  greater  enjoyment  from  another  source  ;  yet  the 
force  of  habit  is  such,  that  decisions  of  the  will  per- 
petually yield  to  its  power. 

Thus,  also,  if  a  man  has  found  his  chief  enjoyment 
in  that  admiration  and  applause  of  men  so  ardently 
desired,  even  after  it  has  ceased  to  charm,  and  seems 
like  emptiness  and  vanity,  still,  when  nobler  objects 
of  pursuit  are  offered,  the  chains  of  habit  bind  him  to 
his  wonted  path.  Though  he  looks  and  longs  for  the 
one  that  his  conscience  and  his  intellect  assure  him  is 
brightest  and  best,  the  conflict  with  bad  habit  ends  in 
fatal  defeat  and  ruin.  It  is  true  that  every  habit  can 
be  corrected  and  changed,  but  nothing  requires  greater 
firmness  of  purpose  and  energy  of  will ;  for  it  is  not 
one  resolution  of  mind  that  can  conquer  habit :  it  must 
be  a  constant  series  of  long-continued  efforts. 

The  influence  of  habit  in  reference  to  emotions  de- 
serves special  attention  as  having  a  direct  influence 
upon  character  and  happiness.  All  pleasurable  emo- 
tions of  mind,  being  grateful,  are  indulged  and  cher- 
ished, and  are  not  weakened  by  repetition  unless  they 
become  excessive.  If  the  pleasures  of  sense  are  in- 
dulged beyond  a  certain  extent,  the  bodily  system  is 


94  NATUREOFMIND. 

exhausted,  and  satiety  is  tlie  consequence.  K  the  love 
of  power  and  admiration  is  indulged  to  excess,  so  as 
to  become  the  leading  purpose  of  life,  they  are  found 
to  be  cloying.  But,  within  certain  limits,  all  pleasur- 
able emotions  do  not  seem  to  lessen  in  power  by  repe- 
tition. 

But  in  regard  to  painful  emotions  the  reverse  is 
true.  The  mind  instinctively  resists  or  flies  from 
them,  so  that  often  a  habit  of  suppressing  such  emo- 
tions is  formed,  until  the  susceptibility  diminishes,  and 
sometimes  appears  almost  entirely  destroyed.  Thus  a 
person  often  exposed  to  danger  ceases  to  be  troubled 
by  fear,  because  he  forms  a  habit  of  suppressing  it.  A 
person  frequently  in  scenes  of  distress  and  suffering 
learns  to  suppress  the  emotions  of  painful  sympathy. 
The  surgeon  is  an  example  of  the  last  case,  where,  by 
repeated  operations,  he  has  learned  to  suppress  emo- 
tions until  they  seldom  recur.  A  person  inured  to 
guilt  gradually  deadens  the  pangs  of  remorse,  until  the 
conscience  becomes  "  seared  as  with  a  hot  iron."  Thus, 
also,  with  the  emotion  of  shame.  After  a  person  has 
been  repeatedly  exposed  to  contempt,  and  feels  that  he 
is  Tiniverselly  despised,  he  grows  callous  to  any  such 
emotions. 

The  mode  by  which  the  mind  succeeds  in  forming 
such  a  habit  seems  to  be  by  that  implanted  principle 
which  makes  ideas  that  are  most  in  consonance  with 
the  leading  desire  of  the  mind  become  vivid  and  dis- 
tinct, while  those  that  are  less  interesting  fade  away. 
ISTow  no  person  desires  to  witness  pain  except  from  the 
hope  of  relieving  it,  unless  it  be  that,  in  anger,  the 
mind  is  sometimes  gratified  with  the  infliction  of  suf- 
fering.    But,  in  ordinary  cases,  the  sight  of  suffering 


HABIT.  95 

is  avoided  except  where  relief  can  be  administered. 
In  such  cases,  the  desire  of  administering  rehef  be- 
comes the  leading  one,  so  that  the  mind  is  turned  off 
from  the  view  of  the  suffering  to  dwell  on  conceptions 
of  modes  of  relief.  Thus  the  surgeon  and  physician 
gradually  form  such  habits  that  the  sight  of  pain  and 
suffering  lead  the  mind  to  the  conception  of  modes  of 
relief,  whereas  a  mind  not  thus  interested  dwells  on 
the  more  painful  ideas. 

The  habits  of  life  are  all  formed  either  from  the  de- 
sire to  secure  happiness  or  to  avoid  pain,  and  the  fear 
of  suffering  is  found  to  be  a  much  more  powerful  prin- 
ciple than  the  desire  of  happiness.  The  soul  flies  from 
pain  with  all  its  energies,  even  when  it  will  be  inert 
at  the  sight  of  promised  joy.  As  an  illustration  of 
this,  let  a  person  be  fully  convinced  that  the  gift  of 
two  new  senses  would  confer  as  great  an  additional 
amount  of  enjoyment  as  is  now  secured  by  the  eye  and 
ear,  and  the  promise  of  this  future  good  would  not 
stimulate  with  half  the  energy  that  would  be  caused 
by  the  threat  of  instant  and  entire  blindness  and  deaf- 
ness. 

If,  then,  the  mind  is  stimulated  to  form  good  habits 
and  to  avoid  the  formation  of  evil  ones  most  power- 
fully by  painful  emotions,  when  their  legitimate  object 
is  not  effected  they  continually  decrease  in  vividness, 
and  the  designed  benefit  is  lost.  If  a  man  is  placed 
in  circumstances  of  danger,  and  fear  leads  to  habits  of 
caution  and  carefulness,  the  object  of  exciting  this 
emotion  is  accomplished,  and  the  diminution  of  it  is 
attended  with  no  evil.  But  if  fear  is  continually  ex- 
cited, and  no  such  habits  are  formed,  then  the  suscep- 
tibility is  lessened,  while  the  good  to  be  secured  by  it 


96  NATURE     OF     MIND. 

is  lost.  So,  also,  with,  emotions  of  sympathy.  If  we 
witness  pain  and  suffering,  and  it  induces  habits  of 
active  devotion  to  the  good  of  those  who  suffer,  the 
diminution  of  the  susceptibility  is  a  blessing  and  no 
evil.  But  if  we  simply  indulge  emotions,  and  do  not 
form  the  habits  they  were  intended  to  secure,  the  power 
of  sympathy  is  weakened,  and  the  designed  benefit  is 
lost.  Thus,  again,  with  shame :  if  this  painful  emo- 
tion does  not  lead  us  to  form  habits  of  honor  and  rec- 
titude, it  is  continually  weakened  by  repetition,  and 
tbe  object  for  which  it  was  bestowed  is  not  secured. 
And  so  with,  remorse:  if  this  emotion  is  awakened 
without  leading  to  habits  of  benevolence  and  virtue, 
it  constantly  decays  in  power,  and  the  good  it  would 
have  secured  is  for  ever  lost. 

It  does  not  appear,  however,  that  the  power  of  emo- 
tion in  the  soul  is  thus  destroyed.  This  is  evident  from 
the  fact  that  the  most  hardened  culprits,  when  brought 
to  the  bour  of  death,  where  all  plans  of  future  good 
cease  to  charm  the  mental  eye,  are  often  overwhelmed 
with  the  most  vivid  emotions  of  sorrow,  shame,  re- 
morse and  fear.  And  often,  in  the  course  of  life,  there 
are  seasons  when  the  soul  returns  from  its  pursuit  of 
deluding  visions  to  commune  with  itself  in  its  own 
secret  chambers.  At  such  seasons,  shame,  remorse 
and  fear  take  up  their  abode  in  their  long- deserted 
dwelling,  and  ply  their  scorpion  whips  till  they  are 
obeyed,  and  the  course  of  honor  and  virtue  is  resumed, 
or  till  the  distracted  spirit  again  flies  abroad  for  com- 
fort and  relief. 

There  is  a  great  diversity  in  human  character,  re- 
sulting from  the  diverse  proportions  and  combinations 
of  those  powers  of  mind  which  the  race  have  in  com- 


V  or  THE  ■' 


or  THE 
HABIT 


UNI7EESITY 

mon.    At  the  same  time,  there  is  a  varietyiH=tee scale   ^^"'^ 
of  being,  or  relative  grade  of  each  mind.     While  all 
are  alike  in  the  common  faculties  of  the  human  mind, 
some  have  every  faculty  on  a  much  larger  scale  than 
others,  while  some  are  of  a  very  humble  grade. 

The  principle  of  habit  has  very  great  influence  in 
modifying  and  changing  these  varieties.  Thus,  by 
forming  habits  of  intellectual  exercise,  a  mind  of  natu- 
rally humble  proportions  can  be  elevated  considerably 
above  one  more  highly  endowed  by  natural  constitu- 
tion. So  the  training  of  some  particular  intellectual 
faculty,  which  by  nature  is  deficient,  can  bring  it  up 
nearer  to  the  level  of  other  powers  less  disciplined  by 
exercise. 

In  like  manner,  the  natural  susceptibilities  can  be 
increased,  diminished  or  modified  by  habit.  Certain 
tastes,  that  had  little  power,  can  be  so  cultivated  as  to 
overtop  all  others. 

So  of  the  moral  nature :  it  can  be  so  exercised  that 
a  habit  will  be  formed  which  will  generate  a  strength 
and  prominency  that  nature  did  not  impart. 

One  of  the  most  important  results  of  habit  is  its  in- 
fluence on  faith  or  helief.  Those  persons  who  practice 
methods  of  false  reasoning,  who  turn  away  from  evi- 
dence and  follow  their  feelings  in  forming  opinions, 
eventually  lose  the  power  of  sure,  confiding  belief. 

On  the  contrary,  an  honest,  conscientious  steadiness 
in  seeking  the  truth  and  in  yielding  to  evidence,  se- 
cures the  firmest  and  most  reliable  convictions,  and 
that  peace  of  mind  which  alone  results  from  believing 
the  truth. 

The  will  itself  is  also  subject  to  this  same  principle. 
A  strong  will,  that  is  trained  to  yield  obedience  to  law 

5 


98  THE     NATURE     OF     MIND 

in  earlj  life,  acquires  an  ease  and  facility  in  doing  it 
whicli  belongs  ordinarily  to  weak  minds,  and  yet  can 
retain  all  its  vigor.  And  a  mind  that  is  trained  to 
bring  subordinate  volitions  into  strict  and  ready  obe- 
dience to  a  generic  purpose,  acquires  an  ease  and  fa- 
cility in  doing  tbis  wbicb  was  not  a  natural  endow- 
ment. 

Thus  it  appears  that  by  the  principle  of  habit  every 
mind  is  furnished  with  the  power  of  elevating  itself  in 
the  scale  of  being,  and  of  so  modifying  and  perfecting 
the  proportions  and  combinations  of  its  constitutional 
powers,  that  often  the  result  is  that  there  is  no  mode 
of  distinguishing  between  the  effects  of  habit  and  those 
of  natural  organization. 


CHAPTEE    XVIII. 

THE  NATURE  OF  MIND  OUR  GUIDE  TO  THE  NATURAL 
ATTRIBUTES  OF  GOD. 

The  natural  attributes  of  any  mind  are  the  powers 
and  faculties  to  be  exercised,  while  it  is  the  action  or 
voluntary  use  of  these  faculties  that  exhibits  the  moral 
attributes. 

Having  gained  the  existence  of  a  Great  First  Cause 
by  the  use  of  one  principle  of  common  sense,  and  the 
fact  that  this  cause  is  an  intelligent  mind  by  another, 
it  has  been  shown  that  a  third  of  these  principles  leads 
to  the  belief  that  the  natural  attributes  of  God  are  like 
our  own.  "We  can  not  conceive  of  any  other  kind  of 
minds  than  our  own,  because  we  have  never  had  any 
past  experience  or  knowledge  of  any  other. 


OUE     GUIDE     TO     GOD.  99 

But  "wMe  we  fhus  conclude  tbat  the  mind  of  the 
Creator  is,  so  far  as  we  can  conceive,  precisely  like  our 
own  in  constitutional  organization,  we  are  as  necessa- 
rily led  to  perceive  that  the  eoctent  of  these  powers  is 
far  beyond  our  own.  A  mind  with  the  power,  wis- 
dom and  goodness  exhibited  in  the  very  small  por- 
tion of  his  works  submitted  to  our  inspection,  who  has 
inhabited  eternity,  and  matured  through  everlasting 
ages — our  minds  are  lost  in  attempting  any  conception 
of  the  extent  of  such  infinite  faculties  I 

Thus  we  are  necessarily  led  to  conceive  of  the  Crea- 
tor as  possessing  the  intellectual  powers  described  in 
previous  pages.  He  perceives,  conceives,  imagines, 
judges  and  remembers  just  as  we  do. 

So  also  all  our  varied  susceptibilities  to  pleasure 
and  pain  exist  in  the  Eternal  Mind.  The  desire  of 
good  and  the  fear  of  evil  which  are  the  motive  power 
in  the  human  mind,  exist  also  in  the  divine.  Thus 
by  the  light  of  nature  we  settle  the  question  that  ^the 
existence  of  susceptibilities  to  pain  and  evil  are  not 
the  results  of  the  Creator's  will,  but  are  a  part  of  the 
eternal  nature  of  things  which  he  did  not  originate 
or  control. 

All  the  minds  we  ever  knew  or  heard  of  are  moved 
to  action  by  desire  to  gain  happiness  and  escape  pain, 
and  as  we  can  conceive  of  no  other  kind  of  mind  than 
our  own,  we  must  attribute  to  the  Creator  this  foun- 
dation element  of  mental  activity. 

Thus  we  are  led  to  attribute  to  the  Creator  all 
those  susceptibilities  included  in  the  moral  sense,  as  de- 
scribed in  previous  pages.  His  mind,  like  ours,  feels 
that  whatever  makes  the  most  happiness  with  the  least 


100  TH^    NATURE     OF     MIND 

evil  is  right;  tliat  is  to  say,  it  is  fitted  to  the  eternal  na- 
ture of  things^  of  wliicli  his  own  mind  is  a  part. 

So  also  tlie  Creator  possesses  that  sense  of  justice 
implanted  in  our  own  minds,  which  involves  the  de- 
sire of  good  to  those  who  make  happiness,  and  of  evil 
to  those  who  destroy  happiness ;  and  which  also  de- 
mands that  such  retributions  be  proportioned  to  the 
good  and  evil  done,  and  to  the  power  of  the  agent. 

So  also  we  must  conceive  of  the  Creator  as  pos- 
sessing the  susceptibility  of  conscience^  which  includes 
in  the  very  constitution  of  mind  retributions  for  right 
and  wrong  action. 

Again,  we  are  led  to  conceive  of  God  as  a  rational 
free  agent,  with  power  to  choose  either  that  which  ex- 
cites the  strongest  desire  or  that  which  is  perceived  to 
be  hest  on  the  whole  for  all  concerned,  even  if  it  does  not 
excite  the  strongest  desire. 

Again,  we  are  to  conceive  of  the  Creator  as  pos- 
sessing a  belief  in  those  principles  of  reason  which  he 
has  implanted  in  our  minds,  and  made  our  guide  in 
all  matters,  both  of  temporal  and  religious  concern. 

Again,  our  experience  of  the  nature  and  history 
of  mind,  leads  to  the  inference  that  no  being  has  ex- 
isted from  all  eternity  in  solitude,  but  that  there  is  more 
than  one  eternal,  uncreated  mind,  and  that  all  their  pow- 
ers of  enjoyment  from  giving  and  receiving  happi- 
ness in  social  relations  have  been  in  exercise  from 
eternal  ages.  This  is  the  just  and  natural  deduction 
of  reason  and  experience,  as  truly  as  the  deduction 
that  there  is  at  least  one  eternal  First  Cause. 

Again,  all  our  experience  of  mind  involves  the  idea 
of  the  mutual  relation  of  minds.  "We  perceive  that 
minds  are  made  to  match  to  other  minds,  so  that  there 


OUR     GUIDE     TO     GOD.  101 

can  be  no  complete  action  of  mind,  according  to  its 
manifest  design,  except  in  relation  to  other  beings. 
A  mind  can  not  love  till  there  is  another  mind  to  call 
forth  such  emotion.  A  mind  can  not  bring  a  tithe 
of  its  power  into  appropriate  action  except  in  a  com- 
munity of  minds.  The  conception  of  a  solitary  being, 
with  all  the  social  powers  and  sympathies  of  the  human 
mind  infinitely  enlarged,  and  yet  without  any  sym- 
pathizing mind  to  match  and  meet  them,  involves  the 
highest  idea  of  unfitness  and  imperfection  conceivable, 
while  it  is  contrary  to  our  uniform  experience  of  the 
nature  and  history  of  mind. 

It  has  been  argued  that  the  unity  of  design  in  the 
works  of  nature  proves  that  there  is  but  one  creating 
mind.  This  is  not  so,  for  in  all  our  experience  of 
the  creations  of  finite  beings  no  great  design  was  ever 
formed  without  a  combination  of  minds,  both  to  plan 
and  to  execute.  The  majority  of  minds  in  all  ages, 
both  heathen  and  Christian,  have  always  conceived  of 
the  Creator  as  in  some  way  existing  so  as  to  involve 
the  ideas  of  plurality  and  of  the  love  and  communion 
of  one  mind  with  another. 

And  yet  the  unity  and  harmony  of  all  created 
things  as  parts  of  one  and  the  same  design,  teach  a 
degree  of  unity  in  the  authorship  of  the  universe  never 
known  in  the  complex  action  of  finite  minds. 

Thus  a  unity  and  plurality  in  the  Creator  of  all 
things  is  educed  by  reason  and  experience  from  the 
works  of  nature. 


102  THE     NATURE     OF     MIND 


CHAPTEE    XIX. 

THE  NATURE  OF  MIND  OUR  GUIDE  TO  THE  MORAL 
ATTRIBUTES  OF  GOD. 

Having  employed  the  principles  of  common  sense 
to  gain  a  knowledge  of  the  natural  attributes  of  God, 
we  are  next  to  employ  the  same  principles  to  gain  his 
moral  character ;  or  those  attributes  which  are  exhib- 
ited in  willing.  In  other  words,  we  are  to  seek  the 
character  of  God  as  expressed  in  his  worhs  or  deeds. 

In  our  experience  of  the  moral  character  of  minds 
in  this  world,  we  find  that  some  of  the  highest  grades 
as  to  intellect  and  susceptibilities,  are  lowest  as  to 
good-willing.  How  is  it,  then,  with  the  highest  mind 
of  all  ?  Does  he  so  prefer  evil  to  good,  that  he  delib- 
erately plans  for  the  production  of  evil  when  he  has 
power  to  produce  happiness  in  its  place  ?  Or  does  he 
sometimes  prefer  evil  and  sometimes  good,  with  the 
variable  humors  of  the  human  race?  Or  does  he 
always  prefer  good  when  it  costs  him  no  trouble  or 
sacrifice,  but  never  when  it  does  ?  Or  is  he  one  who 
invariably  chooses  what  is  hest  for  al\  even  when  it 
involves  painful  sacrifices  to  himself? 

In  seeking  a  reply  to  these  momentous  questions, 
we  return  once  more  to  the  principle  of  common  sense 
before  stated,  ^.  e.,  the  nature  of  any  worh  or  contrivance 
is  proof  of  the  character  and  design  of  the  author. 

In  examining  the  works  of  the  Creator,  we  find 
that  the  material  world  impresses  us  as  wisely  adjusted 
and  good  in  construction,  only  as  it  is  fitted  to  give 
enjoyment  to  sentient  beings.     It  is  the  intelligent, 


OUR     GUIDE     TO     GOD.  103 

feeling,  acting  minds  that  give  the  value  to  every 
other  existence.  If  there  were  no  minds,  all  percep- 
tion of  beauty,  fitness  and  goodness  would  perish. 

It  is  mindsj  therefore,  which  are  the  chief  works  of 
the  Creator's  hand,  and  which  give  value  to  all  others. 

If  the  nature  of  these  minds  is  evil,  then  the  author 
of  them  is  proved  to  be  evil  by  his  works.  If  their 
nature  is  good  and  perfect,  then  their  author  is  proved 
to  be  good  and  perfect. 

Here  again  we  are  driven  back  to  our  own  minds 
to  gain  the  only  conceptions  possible  to  us,  not  only 
of  wisdom,  but  of  goodness  or  benevolence. 

On  examination,  we  shall  find  that  we  can  form  no 
idea  of  these  qualities  which  does  not  involve  a  limit- 
ation o/power. 

Our  idea  of  power  is  that  which  we  gain  when  we 
will  to  move  our  bodies  or  to  make  any  other  change, 
and  this  change  ensues.  Our  only  idea  of  a  want 
of  power  is  gained  when  the  choice  or  willing  of  a 
change  or  event  does  not  produce  it.  Whenever, 
therefore,  it  shall  appear  that  the  Creator  wills  or 
wishes  a  thing  to  exist  or  to  be  changed,  and  that 
change  or  existence  does  not  follow  his  so  willing,  we 
can  not  help  believing  that  he  has  not  the  power  to 
produce  it  ? 

Again ;  our  idea  of  perfedness  always  has  reference 
to  power ;  for  a  thing  is  regarded  as  perfect  in  con- 
struction only  when  there  is  no  power  in  God  or  man 
to  make  it  better.  When  any  arrangement  is  as  good 
as  it  can  be,  so  that  neither  God  nor  man  has  power 
to  make  it  better,  we  regard  it  as  perfect^  even  when 
there  is  some  degree  of  evil  involved. 

We  are  now  prepared  to  define  what  is  included  in 


104  THE    NATURE    OP     MIND 

the  terms  'perfect  wisdom  and  perfect  benevolence,  wlien 
applied  to  tlie  Creator  or  to  any  other  being,  thus  :  A 
perfectly  wise  being  is  one  who  invariably  wills  the 
best  possible  ends  and  the  best  possible  means  of  ac- 
complishing those  ends. 

An  imperfectly  wise  being  is  one  who  does  not  in- 
variably do  this. 

A  perfectly  benevolent  being  is  one  who  invariably 
wills  the  most  good  and  the  least  evil  in  his  power. 
An  imperfectly  benevolent  being  is  one  who  does  not 
invariably  will  thus. 

The  degree  in  which  a  being  is  ranked  as  wise  and 
good  is  estimated  by  the  extent  to  which  his  willing 
good  or  evil  corresponds  with  his  power. 

Thus  it  appears  that,  in  a  system  where  evil  exists, 
the  very  idea  of  perfect  benevolence  and  wisdom  in- 
volves the  supposition  of  a  limitation  of  power. 

To  return,  then,  to  the  question  as  proposed  at  the 
commencement  of  the  chapter — 'h>  the  Creator  a  being 
who  prefers  good  to  evil  invariably,  or  is  he  one  who 
only  sometimes  prefers  evil  to  good,  and  at  other  times 
prefers  good  to  evil,  with  the  varying  humors  of  man ; 
or  does  he  invariably  choose  what  is  test  for  all,  even  in 
cases  where  it  may  cost  personal  sacrifice  and  suifer- 
ing  to  himself  ? 

It  will  be  the  object  of  what  follows  to  prove  that 
the  last  supposition  is  the  true  one. 

In  attempting  this,  we  again  take  the  principle  of 
common  sense,  that  ^Uhe  nature  of  any  contrivance 
proves  the  design  and  character  of  the  author."  Then 
we  proceed  to  a  review  of  tJie  nature,  first  of  mind, 
and  next  of  the  material  world,  to  prove  that  the  de- 
sign or  chief  end  of  the  Creator  is,  not  to  make  happi- 


OUR     GUIDE     TO     GOD.  105 

ness  irrespective  of  the  amount,  but  to  produce  fhe 
greatest  possible  happiness  with  the  least  possible  evil. 
In  other  words,  we  are  to  seek  for  proof  that  God  has 
done  all  things /or  the  best,  so  that  he  has  no  power  to 
do  better. 

In  still  another  form,  we  are  to  seek  for  evidence,  in 
the  nature  of  God's  works,  that  he  has  ever  done  the 
best  he  could,  so  that  the  amount  of  evil  that  ever  was 
or  ever  will  exist,  is  not  caused  by  his  willing  \%,  but 
by  his  want  of  power  to  prevent  it ;  so  that  any  change 
would  be  an  increase  of  evil  and  a  lessening  of  good 
to  the  universe  as  a  whole. 

In  pursuing  this  attempt,  it  will  be  needful  to  re- 
produce two  or  three  chapters  of  a  work  by  the  au- 
thor, already  before  the  public,  entitled.  The  Bible  and 
the  People;  or,  Common  Sense  applied  to  Religion. 

In  this  work  the  nature  of  mind  is  presented  very 
much  more  in  detail,  for  the  same  purpose  as  that  here 
indicated.  What  will  now  follow  is  a  brief  review  of 
previous  chapters  in  that  work,  as  a  summary  of  the 
evidence  there  presented  that  the  chief  end  of  God  in 
all  his  works  is  to  produce  the  greatest  possible  hap- 
piness with  the  least  possible  evil. 

Whenever  we  find  any  contrivances  all  combining 
to  secure  a  certain  good  result,  which,  at  the  same 
time,  involve  some  degree  of  inevitable  evil,  and  then 
discover  that  there  are  contrivances  to  diminish  and 
avoid  this  evil,  we  properly  infer  that  the  author  in- 
tended to  secure  as  much  of  the  good  with  as  little  of  the 
evil  as  possible.  For  example^  a  traveler  finds  a  de- 
serted mine,  and  all  around  he  discovers  contrivances 
for  obtaining  gold,  and,  at  the  same  time,  other  contriv- 
ances for  getting  rid  of  the  earth  mixed  with  it.     The 

5* 


106  THE     NATURE     OF     MIND 

inevitable  inference  would  be  that  the  author  of  tbese 
contrivances  designed  to  secure  as  much  gold  with  as 
little  earth  as  possible  ;  and  should  any  one  say  that 
he  could  have  had  more  gold  and  less  earth  if  he 
chose  to,  the  answer  would  be  that  there  is  no  evi- 
dence of  this  assertion,  but  direct  evidence  against  it. 

Again :  should  we  discover  a  piece  of  machinery  in 
which  every  contrivance  tended  to  secure  a  speed  in 
movement,  produced  by  \hQ  friction  of  wheels  against 
a  rough  surface,  and  at  the  same  time  other  contriv- 
ances were  found  for  diminishing  all  friction  that  was 
useless,  we  should  infer  that  the  author  designed  to 
secure  the  greatest  possible  speed  with  the  least  possible 
friction. 

In  like  manner,  if  we  can  show  that  mind  is  a  con- 
trivance that  acts  by  the  influence  of  fear  of  evil,  and 
that  pain  seems  as  indispensable  to  the  action  of  a  free 
agent  as  friction  is  to  motion ;  if  we  can  show  that 
there  is  no  contrivance  in  mind  or  matter  which  is  de- 
signed to  secure  suffering  as  its  primary  end ;  if  we 
can,  on  the  contrary,  show  that  the  direct  end  of  all 
the  organizations  of  mind  and  matter  is  to  produce 
happiness ;  if  we  can  show  that  it  is  only  the  wrong 
action  of  mind  that  involves  most  of  the  pain  yet 
known,  so  that  right  action,  in  its  place,  would  secure 
only  happiness  ;  if  we  can  show  contrivances  for  di- 
minishing pain,  and  also  contrivances  for  increasing 
happiness  by  means  of  the  inevitable  pain  involved 
in  the  system  of  things,  then  the  just  conclusion  will 
be  gained  that  the  Author  of  the  system  of  mind  and 
matter  designed  "  to  produce  the  greatest  possible  hap- 
piness with  the  least  possible  evil." 


OUE     GUIDE     TO     GOD.  107 

In  the  pages  wliicTi  follow,  we  shall  present  evidence 
exhibiting  all  these  particulars. 

The  only  way  in  which  we  learn  the  nature  of  a 
thing  is  to  observe  its  qualities  and  actions.  This  is 
true  of  mind  as  much  as  it  is  of  matter.  Experience 
and  observation  teach  that  the  nature  of  mind  is  such, 
that  the  fear  of  suffering  is  indispensable  to  secure  a 
large  portion  of  the  enjoyment  within  reach  of  its 
faculties,  and  that  the  highest  modes  of  enjoyment  can 
not  be  secured  except  by  sacrifice,  and  thus  by  more 
or  less  suffering. 

This  appears  to  be  an  inevitable  combination,  as 
much  so  as  friction  is  inevitable  in  machinery. 

We  have  the  evidence  of  our  own  consciousness 
that  it  is  fear  of  evil  to  ourselves  or  to  others  that  is 
the  strongest  motive  power  to  the  mind.  If  we  should 
find  that  no  pain  resulted  from  burning  up  our  own 
bodies,  or  from  drowning,  or  from  any  other  cause  ;  if 
every  one  perceived  that  no  care,  trouble,  or  pain  re- 
sulted from  losing  all  kinds  of  enjoyment,  the  effort  to 
seek  it  would  be  greatly  diminished. 

K  we  could  desire  good  enough  to  exert  ourselves 
to  seek  it,  and  yet  should  feel  no  discomfort  in  fail- 
ing ;  if  we  could  lose  every  thing,  and  feel  no  sense  of 
pain  or  care,  the  stimulus  to  action  which  experience 
has  shown  to  be  most  powerful  and  beneficent  would 
be  lost. 

"We  find  that  abundance  of  ease  and  prosperity  en- 
ervates mental  power,  and  that  mind  increases  in  all 
that  is  grand  and  noble,  and  also  in  the  most  elevating 
happiness,  by  means  of  danger,  care  and  pain.  We 
may  properly  infer,  then,  that  evil  is  a  necessary  part 
of  the  experience  of  a  perfectly-acting  mind. 


108  THE     NATURE     OF     MIND 

So  strong  is  tlie  conviction  that  painful  penalties  are 
indispensable,  that  the  kindest  parents  and  the  most 
benevolent  rulers  are  the  most  sure  to  increase  rather 
than  diminish  those  that  are  already  involved  in  the 
existing  nature  of  things. 

Again :  without  a  revelation  we  have  no  knowledge 
of  any  kind  of  mind  but  by  inference  from  our  ex- 
perience in  this  state  of  being.  All  we  know  of  the 
Eternal  First  Cause  is  by  a  process  of  reasoning,  in- 
ferring that  his  nature  must  be  lihe  the  only  minds  of 
which  we  have  any  knowledge.  "We  assume,  then, 
that  he  is  a  free  agent,  regulated  by  desire  for  happi- 
ness and  fear  of  evil. 

"We  thus  come  to  the  conclusion  that  this  organiza- 
tion of  mind  is  a  part  of  the  fixed-  and  eternal  nature 
of  things^  and  does  not  result  from  the  will  of  the 
Creator.  His  own  is  the  eternal  pattern  of  an  all- 
perfect  mind,  and  our  own  are  formed  on  this  per- 
fect model,  with  susceptibihties  to  pain  as  an  indis- 
pensable motive  power  in  gaining  happiness. 

We  will  now  recapitulate  some  of  the  particulars 
in  the  laws  and  constitution  of  mind  which  tend  to 
establish  the  position  that  its  Creator's  grand  design  is 
"  to  produce  the  greatest  possible  happiness  with  the 
least  possible  evil." 

Intellectual  Powers. 

First,  then,  in  reference  to  the  earliest  exercise  of 
inind  in  sensation.  The  eye  might  have  been  so  made 
that  light  would  inflict  pain,  and  the  ear  so  that  sound 
would  cause  only  discomfort.  And  so  of  all  the  other 
senses. 

But  the  condition  of  a  well-formed,  healthy  infant 


OUR    GUIDE    TO    GOD.  109 

is  a  most  striking  illustration  of  the  adaptation  of  the 
senses  to  receive  enjoyment.  Wtio  could  gaze  on  the 
countenance  of  such  a  little  one,  as  its  various  senses 
are  called  into  exercise  without  such  a  conviction? 
The  delight  manifested  as  the  light  attracts  the  eye, 
or  as  pleasant  sounds  charm  the  ear,  or  as  the  limpid 
nourishment  gratifies  its  taste,  or  as  gentle  motion  and 
soft  fondlings  soothe  the  nerves  of  touch,  all  testify  to 
the  benevolent  design  of  its  Maker. 

Next  come  the  pleasures  of  perception  as  the  in- 
fant gradually  observes  the  qualities  of  the  various 
objects  around,  and  slowly  learns  to  distinguish  its 
mother  and  its  playthings  from  the  confused  mass  of 
forms  and  colors.  Then  comes  the  gentle  curiosity 
as  it  watches  the  movement  of  its  own  limbs,  and 
finally  discovers  that  its  own  volitions  move  its  tiny 
fingers,  while  the  grand  idea  that  it  is  itself  a  cause  is 
gradually  introduced. 

Next  come  the  varied  intellectual  pleasures  as  the 
several  powers  are  exercised  in  connection  with  the 
animate  and  material  world  around,  in  acquiring  the 
meaning  of  words,  and  in  imitating  the  sounds  and 
use  of  language.  The  adult,  in  toiling  over  the  dry 
lexicon,  little  realizes  the  pleasure  with  which  the  little 
one  is  daily  acquiring  the  philosophy,  grammar,  and 
vocabulary  of  its  mother  tongue. 

A  child  who  can  not  understand  a  single  complete 
sentence,  or  speak  an  intelligible  phrase,  will  sit  and 
listen  with  long- continued  delight  to  the  simple  enun- 
ciation of  words,  each  one  of  which  presents  a  picture 
to  his  mind  of  a  dog,  a  cat,  a  cow,  a  horse,  a  whip,  a 
ride,  and  many  other  objects  and  scenes  that  have 
given  pleasure  in  the  past;   while  the  single  words, 


110  THE    NATUKE    OF    MIND 

without  any  sentences,  bring  back,  not  only  vivid  con- 
ceptions of  these  objects,  but  a  part  of  the  enjoyment 
with  which  they  have  been  connected. 

Then,  as  years  pass  by,  the  intellect  more  and  more 
administers  pleasure,  while  the  reasoning  powers  are 
developed,  the  taste  cultivated,  the  imagination  exer- 
cised, the  judgment  employed,  and  the  memory  stored 
with  treasures  for  future  enjoyment. 

In  the  proper  and  temperate  use  of  the  intellectual 
powers,  there  is  a  constant  experience  of  placid  satis- 
faction, or  of  agreeable  and  often  of  delightful  emo- 
tions, while  no  one  of  these  faculties  is  productive  of 
pain,  except  in  violating  the  laws  of  the  mental  con- 
stitution. 

The  Susceptibilities, 

In  regard  to  the  second  general  class  of  mental 
powers — the  susceptibilities — ^the  first  particular  to  be  no- 
ticed is  the  ceaseless  and  all-pervading  desire  to  gain 
happiness  and  escape  pain.  This  is  the  mainspring 
of  all  voluntary  activity ;  for  no  act  of  volition  will 
take  place  till  some  good  is  presented  to  gain,  or  some 
evil  to  shun.  At  the  same  time,  as  has  been  shown, 
the  desire  to  escape  evil  is  more  potent  and  effective 
than  the  desire  for  good.  Thousands  of  minds  that 
rest  in  passive  listlessness,  when  there  is  nothing  to 
stimulate  but  hope  of  enjoyment,  will  exert  every  phys- 
ical and  mental  power  to  escape  impending  evil.  The 
seasons  of  long-continued  prosperity  in  nations  always 
tend  to  a  deterioration  of  intellect  and  manhood.  It  is 
in  seasons  of  danger  alone  that  fear  wakes  up  the  high- 
est energies,  and  draws  forth  the  heroes  of  the  race. 

Mind,  then,  is  an  existence  having  the  power  of  that 


OUE    GUIDE    TO    GOD.  Ill 

self-originating  action  of  choice  wliicli  constitutes  free 
agency,  while  this  power  can  only  be  exercised  when 
desires  are  excited  to  gain  happiness  or  to  escape  pain. 
This  surely  is  the  highest  possible  evidence  that  its 
Author  intended  mind  should  thus  act. 

But  a  mind  may  act  to  secure  happiness  and  avoid 
pain  to  itself,  and  yet  may  gain  only  very  low  grades 
of  enjoyment,  while  much  higher  are  within  reach  of 
its  faculties.  So,  also,  it  may  act  to  gain  happiness 
for  itself  as  the  chief  end  in  such  ways  as  to  prevent 
or  destroy  the  higher  happiness  of  others  around. 

In  reference  to  this,  we  find  those  susceptibiUties 
which  raise  man  to  the  dignity  of  a  rational  and  moral 
being. 

In  the  first  place,  there  is  that  imjpression  of  the 
great  design  of  the  Creator  existing  in  every  mind, 
either  as  a  result  of  constitution  or  of  training,  or  of 
both  united,  which  results  in  a  feeling  that  whatever 
lessens  or  destroys  happiness  is  unfit  and  contrary  to 
the  system  of  things. 

Next  there  is  the  power  to  balance  pleasure  and 
pain,  and  estimate  the  compound  result,  both  in  refer- 
ence to  self  and  to  the  commonwealth.  "With  this  is 
combined  the  feeling  that  whatever  secures  the  most 
good  with  the  least  evil  is  right  and  fit,  and  that  the 
opposite  is  wrong  and  unfitted  to  the  nature  of  things. 

Next  comes  the  sense  of  justice^  which  results  in  an 
impulse  to  discover  the  cause  of  good  and  evil,  and 
when  this  cause  is  found  to  be  a  voluntary  agent,  a 
consequent  impulse  to  make  returns  of  good  for  good, 
and  of  evil  for  evil,  and  also  to  proportion  retributive 
rewards  or  penalties  to  the  amount  of  good  or  evil  done. 

With  this,  also,  is  combined  the  feeling  that  those 


112  THE    NATUEE    OF    MIND 

retributions  should  be  applied  only  wbere  there  was 
voluntary  power  to  have  done  otherwise.  When  it  is 
seen  that  there  was  no  such  power,  the  impulse  to  re- 
ward or  punish  is  repressed. 

Such  is  the  deep  conviction  that  such  retributions 
are  indispensable,  that  where  natural  pains  and  penal- 
ties do  not  avail,  others  are  demanded,  both  in  the 
family  and  in  the  commonwealth. 

Lastly,  we  find  the  susceptibility  of  conscience,  which, 
by  the  very  framework  of  the  mind  itself,  apportions 
the  retributive  pangs  of  remorse  for  wrong  doing, 
and  the  pleasure  of  self-approval  for  well  doing. 
These,  too,  are  retributions  never  to  be  escaped,  and 
the  most  exquisite,  both  in  elevated  happiness  and  ex- 
cruciating pain.  The  mind  carries  about  in  itself  its 
own  certain  and  gracious  remunerator — its  own  inex- 
orable prosecutor,  judge,  and  executioner. 

This  same  design  of  the  Creator  may  be  most  de- 
lightfully traced  in  what  may  be  called  the  economy  of 
happiness  and  pain. 

One  particular  of  this  is  set  forth  at  large  in  the 
chapter  on  the  emotions  of  taste*  Here  we  find  the 
mind  formed  not  only  to  secure  multitudinous  enjoy- 
ment through  the  nerves  of  sensation,  but  that,  by  the 
principle  of  association,  there  is  a  perpetual  reproduc- 
tion of  these  emotions  in  connection  with  the  colors, 
forms,  sounds,  and  motions  with  which  they  were  orig- 
inally associated.  Thus  there  are  perpetually  return, 
ing  emotions  of  pleasure  so  recondite,  so  refined,  so 
infinite  in  variety  and  extent,  and  yet  how  little 
noticed  or  understood  I 

*  These  references  are  to  portions  of  the  volume  before  mentioned 
which  are  not  introduced  into  this  work. 


OUR    GUIDE    TO    GOD.  113 

AnotTier  indication  of  the  same  kind  is  the  pecul- 
iarity pointed  out  on  former  pages,  where  it  is  shown 
that  securing  certain  enjoyments  which  tend  to  pro- 
mote the  general  happiness  increases  both  desire  and 
capacity  for  enjoyment,  while  those  that  terminate  in 
the  individual  diminish  by  possession.  Thus  the  en- 
joyment of  power,  which  must,  from  its  nature,  be 
confined  to  a  few,  diminishes  by  possession.  Thus, 
too,  the  pleasures  of  sense  pall  by  indulgence.  But 
the  enjoyment  resulting  from  the  exercise  and  recipro- 
cation of  love,  and  that  resulting  from  benevolent  ac- 
tions, and  that  which  is  included  in  a  course  of  per- 
fect obedience  to  all  the  rules  of  rectitude,  increases 
the  capacity  for  enjoyment. 

Another  illustration  of  the  same  principle  is  exhib- 
ited in  the  chapter  on  Habit,  where  it  is  seen  that  the 
po  ,rer  of  pleasurable  emotions  increases  by  repetition, 
while  painful  emotions  decrease  when  the  good  to  be 
secured  by  their  agency  is  attained.  Thus  fear  serves 
to  protect  from  danger  till  caution  and  habit  render  it 
needless,  and  then  it  decreases.  And  so  of  other  pain- 
ful emotions. 

It  is  interesting  to  trace  the  same  design  in  the  con- 
stitution of  minds  in  regard  to  each  other.  We  find 
that  the  purest  and  highest  kind  of  happiness  is  de- 
pendent on  the  mutual  relations  of  minds.  Thus  the 
enjoyment  resulting  from  the  discovery  of  intellectual 
and  moral  traits  in  other  minds — that  resxdting  from 
giving  and  receiving  affection — ^that  gained  by  sympa- 
thy, and  by  being  the  cause  of  happiness  to  others, 
and  that  resulting  from  conscious  rectitude,  all  are  de- 
pendent on  the  existence  of  other  beings. 

Now  we  find  that  minds  are  relatively  so  constituted 


114  THE    ITATURE    OF    MIND 

that  what  one  desires^  it  is  a  source  of  happiness  in 
another  to  hestow.  Thus  one  can  be  pleased  by  the 
discovery  of  certain  traits  in  other  minds,  while,  in  re- 
turn, the  exhibition  of  these  traits,  and  the  conscious- 
ness that  they  are  appreciated,  is  an  equal  source  of 
enjoyment.  One  mind  seeks  the  love  of  others,  while 
these,  in  return,  are  desiring  objects  of  affection,  and 
rejoice  to  confer  the  gift  that  is  sought.  The  desire 
of  knowledge  or  the  gratification  of  curiosity  is  an- 
other source  of  pleasure,  while  satisfying  this  desire  is 
a  cause  of  enjoyment  to  those  around.  How  readily  do 
mankind  seize  upon  every  opportunity  to  convey  in- 
teresting news  to  other  minds  I 

Again :  we  find  that,  both  in  sorrow  and  in  joy, 
the  mind  seeks  for  the  sympathy  of  others,  while  this 
grateful  and  soothing  boon  it  is  delightful  to  b  stow. 
So,  also,  the  consciousness  of  being  the  cause  of  good 
to  another  sends  joy  to  the  heart,  while  the  recipient 
is  filled  with  the  pleasing  glow  of  gratitude  in  receiving 
the  benefit.  The  consciousness  of  virtue  in  acting  for 
the  general  good,  instead  of  for  contracted,  selfish  pur- 
poses, is  another  source  of  happiness,  while  those  who 
witness  its  dehghtful  results  rejoice  to  behold  and  ac- 
knowledge it.  What  bursts  of  rapturous  applause 
have  followed  the  exhibition  of  virtuous  self-sacrifice 
for  the  good  of  others  from  bosoms  who  rejoiced  in 
this  display,  and  who  could  owe  this  pleasure  to  no 
other  cause  than  the  natural  constitution  of  mind,  which 
is  formed  to  be  made  happy  both  in  beholding  and  in 
exercising  virtue. 

This  same  beneficial  economy  is  manifested  in  a 
close  analysis  of  all  that  is  included  in  the  affections 
of  love  and  gratitude. 


OUR    GUIDE    TO    GOD.  115 

It  has  been  shown  that,  in  the  commencement  of 
existence,  the  yonng  mind  first  learns  the  sources  of 
good  and  evil  to  self,  and  its  sole  motives  are  desire 
for  its  own  enjoyment. 

Soon,  however,  it  begins  to  experience  the  happiness 
resulting  from  the  relations  of  minds  to  each  other, 
and  then  is  developed  the  superior  power  of  love^  and 
its  importance  as  a  regulating  principle. 

In  the  analysis  of  this  affection,  it  is  seen  to  consist, 
first,  in  the  pleasurable  emotions  which  arise  in  view 
of  certain  traits  of  character  in  another  mind.  "When 
these  qualities  are  discovered,  the  first  result  is  emo- 
tions of  pleasure  in  the  contemplation.  Immediately 
there  follows  a  desire  of  good  to  the  cause  of  this  pleas- 
ure. Next  follows  the  desire  of  reciprocated  affection 
— ^that  is,  a  desire  is  awakened  to  become  the  cause  of 
the  same  pleasure  to  another ;  for  the  desire  of  being 
loved  is  the  desire  to  be  the  cause  of  pleasurable  emo- 
tions in  another  mind,  in  view  of  our  own  good  quali- 
ties. When  we  secure  this  desired  appreciation,  then 
follows  an  increased  desire  of  good  to  the  one  who 
bestows  it. 

Thus  the  affection  of  love  is  a  combination  of  the 
action  and  reaction  of  pleasurable  emotions,  all  tending 
to  awaken  the  desire  of  good  to  another.  This  pas- 
sion may  become  so  intensified  that  it  will  become 
more  delightful  to  secure  enjoyments  to  another  than 
to  procure  them  for  self. 

In  what  is  thus  far  presented,  we  find  that  the  desire 
of  good  to  another  results  solely  from  the  fact  that 
certain  mental  qualities  are  causes  of  pleasure  to  self 
Of  course,  this  desire  ceases  when  those  qualities  cease 
to  exist  or  cease  to  be  appreciated.     This  kind  of  love 


116  THE    NATURE    OF    MIND 

is  the  natural  result  of  the  constitution  of  minds  in 
their  relations  to  each  other,  making  it  easy  and  pleas- 
ant to  live  for  the  good  of  another  in  return  for  the 
pleasure  received  from  their  agreeable  qualities  and 
manifestations. 

But  the  highest  element  of  love  consists  in  the  desire 
and  purpose  of  good  to  another  without  reference  to  any 
good  received  in  return.     It  is  good  willing. 

The  desire  of  good  to  others  exists  as  a  natural  im- 
pulse more  or  less  powerful  in  differently  constituted 
minds.  It  is  the  cause  of  that  pleasure  which  is  felt 
in  the  consciousness  of  being  the  cause  of  good  to  an- 
other. But  this  natural  impulse  can  be  so  developed 
and  increased  by  voluntary  culture  as  to  become  the 
strongest  impulse  of  the  mind,  and  thus  the  source  of 
the  highest  and  most  satisfying  enjoyments.  In  many 
minds  this  becomes  so  strongly  developed  that  securing 
happiness  to  others  is  sought  with  far  more  earnestness 
and  pleasure  than  any  modes  of  enjoyment  that  term- 
inate solely  in  self. 

This  analysis  lays  the  foundation  for  the  distinction 
expressed  by  the  terms  impulsive  benevolence  and  volun- 
tary henevohnce^  or  the  love  of  complacency  and  the  love 
of  lenevolence.  The  first  is  the  involuntary  result  of 
good  conferred  on  self;  the  last  is  a  voluntary  act.  It 
is  good  willing  toward  others  without  reference  to  self 
The  first  can  only  exist  where  certain  qualities  are 
perceived  and  appreciated  in  another  mind.  The  sec- 
ond can  result  from  voluntary  effort,  and  become  the 
subject  of  law  and  penalties. 

We  can  never  be  justly  required  to  love  another 
mind  with  the  love  of  complacency  except  when  qual- 
ities are  perceived  that,  by  the  constitution  of  mind, 


OUR    GUIDE    TO    GOD.  117 

necessarily  call  forth  such  regard.  But  the  love  of 
benevolence  can  be  justly  demanded  from  every  mind 
toward  every  being  capable  of  happiness. 

Here  it  is  important  to  discriminate  more  exactly  in 
regard  to  the  principle  of  henevolence  and  the  principle 
of  rectitude. 

It  is  seen  that  the  benevolence  which  is  the  subject 
of  rewards  and  penalties  as  a  voluntary  act  consists  in 
good  willing — that  is,  in  choosing  the  happiness  of  other 
minds  as  well  as  our  own  as  the  object  of  interest  and 
pursuit. 

But  the  principle  of  rectitude  is  more  comprehensive 
in  its  nature.  It  relates  to  obedience  to  all  the  laws 
of  the  system  of  the  universe — those  relating  to  our- 
selves as  much  as  those  relating  to  others.  It  is  true 
that,  as  obedience  to  these  laws  includes  the  greatest 
possible  amount  of  good  with  the  least  possible  evil, 
both  to  the  individual  and  the  commonwealth,  the 
tendency  of  the  two  principles  is  to  the  same  result. 
But  benevolence  may  be  exercised  without  any  regard 
to  the  rules  of  right  and  wrong.  Instead  of  striving 
to  make  the  most  possible  happiness  with  the  least 
possible  evil,  as  our  Maker's  great  design  demands,  a 
course  may  be  taken  that  makes  some  happiness  to 
some  minds  at  the  expense  of  vast  suffering  and  wrong 
to  others.  No  mind  acts  right,  even  in  willing  happi- 
ness to  others,  when  it  is  done  in  disregard  of  those 
laws  which  demand  that  we  should  make  happiness 
the  right  way,  that  is,  the  way  which  is  best  for  all. 

In  the  physical  and  mental  constitution  of  naan 
there  is  not  a  single  arrangement  the  direct  object  of 
which  is  to  produce  suffering.  The  susceptibilities  to 
pain  seem  designed  to  protect  and  preserve,  while  the 


118  THE    NATURE    OF    MIND 

greater  the  need  the  more  strong  is  this  protection. 
For  example,  in  regard  to  physical  organization,  fire 
is  an  element  that  is  indispensable  to  the  life,  comfort, 
and  activity  of  man,  and  it  must  be  accessible  at  all 
times  and  places.  But  all  its  service  arises  from  its 
power  to  dissolve  and  destroy  the  body  itself,  as  well 
as  all  things  around  it.  Therefore  the  pain  connected 
with  contact  with  fire  is  more  acute  than  almost  any 
other.  Thus  even  the  youngest  child  is  taught  the 
care  and  caution  needful  to  protect  its  body  from  in- 
jury or  destruction. 

Another  fact  in  regard  to  the  susceptibilities  of  pain 
is  their  frequent  co-existence  with  the  highest  degrees 
of  enjoyment.  The  experiences  of  this  life  often  pre- 
sent cases  where  the  most  elevated  and  ecstatic  happi- 
ness is  combined  with  the  keenest  suffering,  while  such 
is  the  nature  of  the  case  that  the  suffering  is  the  chief 
cause  of  the  happiness  thus  secured.  The  highest 
illlistration  of  this  is  in  the  suffering  of  saints  and 
martyrs,  when  they  ^'  rejoice  to  be  counted  worthy  to 
suffer  shame,"  or  when,  amid  torturing  flames,  they 
sing  songs  of  transport  and  praise. 

Even  in  common  life  it  is  constantly  found  tbat  a 
certain  relative  amount  of  happiness  is  felt  to  be  more 
than  a  recompense  for  a  given  amount  of  pain.  This 
relative  amount  may  be  sucb  that  the  evil  involved, 
though  great,  may  count  as  nothing.  Where  there  is 
a  passionate  attachment,  for  example,  the  lover  exults 
in  the  labor  and  suffering  that  will  joyfully  be  received 
as  a  proof  of  affection  and  will  secure  the  compensating 
return. 

It  is  a  very  common  fact  that  painful  emotions  are 
sought^  not  for  themselves,  but  as  ministers  to  a  kind 


OURGTTIDETOGOD.  119 

of  mental  excitement  wTiicTi  is  desired.  This  is  the 
foundation  of  the  pleasure  which  is  felt  in  tragic  rep- 
resentations, and  in  poetry  and  novels  that  present 
scenes  of  distress.  The  little  child  will  again  and 
again  ask  for  the  tale  of  the  Babes  in  the  Wood, 
though  each  rehearsal  brings  forth  tears  ;  and  the  ma- 
ture matron  or  sage  will  spend  hours  over  tales  that 
harrow  the  feelings  and  call  forth  sighs.  This  also  is 
the  foundation  of  that  kind  of  music  called  the  minor 
hey^  in  which  certain  sounds  bring  emotions  of  sadness 
or  sorrow. 

Another  striking  fact  in  regard  to  the  desire  for  pain 
is  the  emotions  that  are  felt  by  the  most  noble  and 
benevolent  minds  at  the  sight  of  cruelty  and  injustice. 
At  such  scenes,  the  desire  for  inflicting  pain  on  the 
guilty  offender  amounts  to  a  passion  which,  nothing 
can  allay  but  retributive  justice.  And  the  more  be- 
nevolent the  mind,  the  stronger  this  desire  for  retribu- 
tive evil  to  another. 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  mind  is  so  made  as  to  de- 
sire pain  both  for  itself  and  for  others ;  not  in  itself 
considered,  but  as  the  indispensable  means  to  gain 
some  consequent  enjoyment. 

The  highest  hinds  of  happiness  result  from  painful 
emergencies.  The  transports  of  love,  gratitude,  and 
delight,  when  some  benefactor  rescues  suffering  thou- 
sands from  danger  and  evil,  could  exist  in  no  other 
way.  All  the  long  train  of  virtues  included  in  patient 
toil  for  the  good  of  others,  in  heroic  daring,  in  brave 
adventure,  in  fortitude,  in  patience,  in  resignation,  in 
heavenly  meekness,  in  noble  magnanimity,  in  sublime 
self-sacrifice,  all  involve  the  idea  of  trial,  danger,  and 
suffering.     It  is  only  the  highest  and  noblest  class  of 


120  THE    NATURE    OF    MIND. 

minds  that  can  fuUj  understand  that  tlie  most  blissful 
of  all  enjoyments  are  those  wMch  are  bought  with 
pain. 

But  the  most  cheering  feature  in  the  constitution  of 
mind  is  all  that  is  included  in  the  principle  of  habit 
"We  see  in  the  commencement  of  existence  that  every 
action  of  mind  and  body  is  imperfect,  and  more  or  less 
difficult,  while  each  effort  to  secure  right  action  in- 
creases the  facility  of  so  doing.  We  see  that,  owing 
to  this  principle,  every  act  of  obedience  to  law  makes 
such  a  course  easier.  The  intellect,  the  susceptibili- 
ties, the  will,  all  come  under  this  benign  influence. 
Habit  may  so  diminish  the  difficulty  of  self-denial  for 
our  own  good  that  the  pain  entirely  ceases ;  and  self- 
sacrifice  for  the  good  of  others  may  so  develop  benev- 
olence and  generate  a  habit  that  it  will  become  pleas- 
ure without  pain.  There  are  those  even  in  this  world, 
who  have  so  attained  this  capacity  of  living  in  the  life 
of  those  around  them,  that  the  happiness  of  others 
becomes  their  own,  so  that  there  is  even  less  pain  in 
self-denial  for  the  good  of  others  than  for  that  of  sel£ 
When  this  habit  of  mind  is  attained  by  all,  the  happi- 
ness of  the  commonwealth  will  become  the  portion  of 
each  individual,  and  thus  be  multiplied  to  an  incon- 
ceivable extent. 


OP  god's  moral  attributes.     121 

CHAPTEE   XX. 

additional  proof  of  the  moral  attributes  of 

GOD. 

"We  have  presented  tlie  "nature"  of  mind  as  tTie 
chief  evidence  of  the  grand  design  of  its  Creator  in 
forming  all  things,  and  thus  also  presented  the  proof 
of  his  perfect  wisdom,  benevolence,  and  rectitude. 
We  now  will  trace  the  evidences  of  the  same  benefi- 
cent design  in  the  nature  of  all  social  and  material 
organizations. 

First,  then,  in  regard  to  the  domestic  relations.  We 
have  seen  that  while  all  happiness  depends  on  obedi- 
ence to  laws,  every  mind  comes  into  existence  in  per- 
fect ignorance  of  them,  and  without  any  power  to  learn 
what  is  good  or  evil  but  by  experience  and  instruction. 
The  intention  of  the  Creator  that  each  new-bom  being 
should  be  taught  these  laws  and  trained  to  obey  them, 
is  clearly  seen  in  the  first  and  highest  domestic  rela- 
tion. In  this  we  see  two  mature  minds,  who  have 
themselves  been  trained  to  understand  these  laws, 
drawn  by  sweet  and  gentle  influences  to  each  other. 
They  go  apart  fi:om  all  past  ties  of  kindred ;  they  have 
one  home,  one  name,  one  common  interest  in  every 
thing.  The  one  who  has  most  physical  strength  goes 
forth  to  provide  supplies;  the  delicate  one  remains 
behind,  by  domestic  ministries  to  render  home  the  cen- 
tre of  all  attractions. 

,  Then  comes  the  beautiful,  helpless  infant,  of  no  use 
to  any  one,  and  demanding  constant  care,  labor,  and 
attention.  And  yet,  with  its  profound  ignorance,  its 
tender  weakness,  its  delicate  beauty,  its  utter  helpless- 

6 


122     OF  god's  moeal  atteibutes. 

ness,  its  entire  dependence,  how  does  it  draw  forth  the 
strongest  feelings  of  love  and  tenderness,  making  every 
toil  and  care  a  delight !  And  thus,  month  after  month, 
both  parents  unite  to  cherish  and  support,  while,  with 
unceasing  vigilance,  they  train  the  new-born  mind  to 
understand  and  obey  the  laws  of  the  system  into  which 
it  is  thus  ushered.  Its  first  lessons  are  to  learn  to  take 
care  of  its  own  body.  And  when  the  far-off  penalty 
of  pain  can  not  be  comprehended  by  the  novice,  the 
parent  invents  new  penalties  to  secure  habits  of  care 
and  obedience.  During  all  this  period  the  great  lesson 
of  sacrifice  constantly  occurs.  The  child  must  eat  what 
is  hestj  not  what  it  desires.  It  must  go  to  bed  when  it 
wants  to  sit  up.  It  must  stay  in  the  house  when  it 
wants  to  go  out.  It  must  not  touch  multitudes  of 
things  which  it  wishes  thus  to  investigate.  And  so 
the  habits  of  self-denial,  obedience,  and  faith  in  the 
parents  are  gradually  secured,  while  the  knowledge  of 
the  laws  of  the  system  around  are  slowly  learned. 

But  the  higher  part  of  the  law  of  sacrifice  soon  be- 
gins to  make  its  demands.  The  child  first  learns  of 
this  law  hy  example^  in  that  of  the  mother^  that  most 
perfect  illustration  of  self-sacrificing  love.  Then  comes 
a  second  child,  when  the  first-born  must  practice  on 
this  example.  It  must  give  up  its  place  in  the  moth- 
er's bosom  to  another;  it  must  share  its  sweets  and 
toys  with  the  new-comer;  it  must  join  in  efforts  to 
protect,  amuse,  and  instruct  the  helpless  one.  And 
thus  the  family  is  the  constant  school  for  training  ig- 
norant, inexperienced  mind  in  the  lav/s  of  the  system 
of  which  it  is  a  part.,  especially  in  the  great  law  of  self- 
control,  for  the  best  good  of  self,  and  of  self-sacrifice 
for  the  best  good  of  others. 


OF    GOD^S    MORAL    ATTRIBUTES.       123 

Next  comes  the  discipline  of  tTie  school  and  the 
neighborhood,  when  the  child  is  placed  among  his 
peers  to  be  taught  new  rules  of  justice,  benevolence, 
and  self-sacrifice  for  the  general  good. 

Next  come  the  relations  of  the  body  politic,  for 
which  labors  are  demanded  and  pain  is  to  be  endured 
according  to  the  grand  law  of  sacrifice,  bj  which  the  in- 
dividual is  to  subordinate  his  own  interests  and  wishes 
to  the  greater  general  good,  so  that  the  interests  of  the 
majority  shall  always  control  those  of  the  minority. 

Lastly,  the  whole  world  is  to  be  taken  into  the  esti- 
mate, and  the  nations  are  to  be  counted  as  members 
of  one  great  family  of  man,  for  which  every  portion  is 
to  make  sacrifices  for  the  greater  general  good. 

Thus,  as  age,  and  experience,  and  habits  of  obedience 
to  the  laws  of  rectitude  increase,  the  duties  and  obliga- 
tions grow  more  numerous  and  complicated.  But  the 
same  grand  principle  is  more  and  more  developed,  that 
each  individual  is  to  seek  the  greatest  possible  happiness 
with  the  least  possible  evil,  for  the  vast  whole  as  well 
as  for  each  subordinate  part,  while  self  is  to  receive 
only  its  just  and  proper  share. 

The  same  great  design  of  the  Creator  can  be  detect- 
ed also  in  specific  organizations,  by  which  minds  so 
differ  from  each  other  as  to  fit  them  for  the  diverse  po- 
sitions and  relations  that  the  common  good  demands. 
If  all  were  exactly  alike  in  the  amount  of  constitutional 
powers  and  in  the  proportionate  combinations,  it  can 
easily  be  seen  that  the  general  result  would  be  far  less 
favorable  to  the  happiness  of  the  whole.  But  as  it  is, 
some  have  the  love  of  power  very  large,  and  seek  to 
lead  and  control ;  others  have  it  small,  and  prefer  to 
follow.     Some  have  elevated  intellect,  and  love  to 


124     OF  god's  moeal  attributes. 

teacli ;  others  have  humbler  capacitieSj  and  prefer  hum- 
bler pursuits. 

These  varied  combinations  also  give  scope  to  the 
virtues  of  pitj,  tenderness,  patience,  mercj,  justice, 
self-denial,  and  many  other  graces  that  coidd  not  be 
called  into  being  without  all  the  disparities,  social,  do- 
mestic, intellectual,  and  moral,  that  we  find  existing. 
Meantime  the  principle  of  habit  and  the  power  of  the 
will  give  abundant  opportunities  for  modifying  these 
natural  peculiarities  to  accommodate  to  varying  cir- 
cumstances. 

To  these  indications  of  benevolent  design  may  be 
added  the  "nature"  of  the  bodily  system,  and  the 
"  nature"  of  the  material  world  without.  In  examin- 
ing the  body  we  inhabit,  so  nicely  adjusted,  so  perfectly 
adapted  to  our  necessities,  so  beautifully  and  harmo- 
niously arranged,  so  "  fearfully  and  wonderfully  made," 
it  is  almost  beyond  the  power  of  numbers  to  express 
the  multiplied  contrivances  for  ease,  comfort,  and  de- 
light. 

We  daily  pursue  our  business  and  our  pleasure, 
thoughtless  of  the  thousand  operations  which  are  going 
on,  and  the  busy  mechanism  employed  in  securing  the 
objects  we  desire.  The  warm  current  that  is  flowing 
from  the  centre  to  the  extremities,  with  its  life-giving 
energies,  and  then  returning  to  be  purified  and  again 
sent  forth ;  the  myriads  of  branching  nerves  that  are 
the  sensitive  discerners  of  good  or  ill ;  the  unnumbered 
muscles  and  tendons  that  are  contracting  and  expand- 
ing in  all  parts  of  our  frame ;  the  nicely-adjusted  joints, 
and  bands,  and  ligaments,  that  sustain,  and  direct,  and 
support ;  the  perpetual  expansion  and  contraction  of 
the  vital  organ ;  the  thousand  hidden  contrivances  and 


OF  god's  moral  attributes.     125 

operations  of  tlie  animal  frame,  all  are  quietly  and 
constantly  performing  their  generous  functions,  and 
administering  comfort  and  enjoyment  to  the  conscious 
spirit  that  dwells  within. 

Nor  is  the  outer  world  less  busy  in  performing  its 
part  in  promoting  the  great  design  of  the  Creator. 
The  light  of  suns  and  stars  is  traversing  the  ethereal 
expanse  in  search  of  those  for  whom  it  was  created ; 
for  them  it  gilds  the  scenes  of  earth,  and  is  reflected 
in  ten  thousand  forms  of  beauty  and  of  skill.  The 
trembling  air  is  waiting  to  minister  its  aid,  fanning 
with  cool  breezes,  or  yielding  the  warmth  of  spring, 
sustaining  the  functions  of  life,  and  bearing  on  its  light 
wing  the  thoughts  that  go  forth  from  mind  to  mind, 
and  the  breathings  of  affection  that  are  given  and  re- 
turned. For  this  design  earth  is  sending  forth  her 
exuberance,  the  waters  are  emptying  their  stores,  and 
the  clouds  pouring  forth  their  treasures.  All  nature 
is  busy  with  its  offerings  of  fruits  and  flowers,  its 
wandering  incense,  its  garnished  beauty,  and  its  varied 
songs.  Within  and  without,  above,  beneath,  and 
around,  the  same  Almighty  Beneficence  is  found  still 
ministering  to  the  wants  and  promoting  the  happiness 
of  the  minds  he  has  formed  for  ever  to  desire  and  pur^ 
sue  this  boon. 

We  are  now  prepared  to  meet  the  questions  pro- 
posed, (^.  e.)  is  the  Creator  a  being  who,  with  the  vary- 
ing humors  of  man,  sometimes  prefers  evil  to  good, 
and  sometimes  prefers  good  to  evil,  or  does  he  inva- 
riably choose  what  is  hest  for  all,  even  in  cases  where 
it  may  involve  personal  sacrifices  and  suffering  to 
himself? 

In  attempting  to  answer  this  question,  we  have  set 


126     OF  god's  moeal  attributes. 

forth  tlie  evidence  to  be  found  in  the  works  of  the 
Creator  which  establishes  the  position  that  his  chief 
end  or  ruling  purpose  is  to  produce  the  greatest  pos- 
sible happiness  with  the  least  possible  evil. 

The  question  then  reads,  does  the  Creator  destroy 
happiness  and  cause  needless  pain,  and  thus  thwart  his 
own  chief  desire  and  great  end ;  the  end  for  which  he 
made  all  things  ? 

The  very  statement  of  the  question  is  its  most  forci- 
ble answer. 

We  have  seen  that  we  are  obliged  to  conceive  of 
God  as  possessing  such  a  social  and  moral  nature  as 
our  own.  This  would  lead  him  to  desire  the  vene- 
ration, confidence,  love,  and  gratitude  of  the  children 
he  has  created. 

But  he  has  formed  their  minds  to  hate  selfishness 
and  to  admire  and  reverence  self-sacrificing  benevo- 
lence. Will  the  Creator  then  oppose  his  own  chief 
end  and  grand  design  by  conduct  which  would  make 
all  his  creatures  necessarily,  by  the  nature  he  im- 
planted, withhold  their  respect  and  love,  and  feel  only 
dislike  and  contempt  ?  The  very  question  involves  its 
own  answer. 

Add  to  this,  that  all  those  causes  which  our  expe- 
rience and  observation  have  shown  to  lead  to  wrong 
choices  are  necessarily  excluded  from  our  conceptions 
of  the  Creator. 

The  Eternal  Mind  can  not  err  for  want  of  knowl- 
edge, nor  for  want  of  habits  of  right  action,  nor 
for  want  of  teachers  and  educators,  nor  for  want  of 
those  social  influences  which  generate  and  sustain  a 
right  governing  purpose;  for  an  infinite  mind,  that 
never  had  a  beginning,  can  not  have  these  modes  of 


NATUEE    OF    MIND,    ETC.  127 

experience  wliich  appertain  to  new-born  and  finite 
creatures. 

Again :  Such  is  tlie  eternal  system  of  tlie  universe, 
as  we  learn  it  by  the  light  of  reason,  that  the  highest 
possible  happiness  to  each  individual  mind  and  to  the 
whole  commonwealth  is  promoted  by  the  right  action 
of  every  mind  in  that  system.  This,  of  necessity,  is 
seen  and  felt  by  the  All-creating  and  Eternal  Mind, 
and  to  suppose  that,  with  this  knowledge,  he  would 
ever  choose  wrong,  is  to  suppose  that  he  would  choose 
pure  evil.  It  is  to  suppose  the  Creator  would  do  what 
he  has  formed  our  minds  to  believe  to  be  impossible 
in  any  rational  mind.  It  is  to  suppose  that  the  Creator 
would  do  that  which,  if  dorie  by  human  beings,  marks 
them  as  insane. 


CHAPTEE    XXI. 

NATUEE    OF    MIND    AS    PEEFECT  IN  CONSTEUCTION. 

The  first  article  in  every  system  of  religion  is,  who 
is  the  God  who  controls  our  destinies,  and  what  is  his 
character  ? 

In  attempting  to  answer  this  question  by  the  light 
of  nature,  independently  of  revelation,  we  have  gained 
these  positions.  There  is  an  Intelligent  Mind  who 
created  all  things,  whose  natural  attributes  are  the 
same  as  ours  in  kind,  but  vast  beyond  our  comprehen- 
sion in  extent.  In  moral  character,  or  that  which  is 
exhibited  in  choice  or  action,  he  is  perfect  in  wisdom, 
benevolence,  and  rectitude;  that  is  to  say,  he  is  a 
being  whose  chief  end  or  ruHng  purpose  is  to  do  the 


128  NATURE    OF    MIND    AS 

best  lie  can  to  make  tlie  most  possible  happiness  with 
the  least  possible  evil. 

^This  being  discovered  as  the  grand  design  for  which 
all  human  minds  are  created,  we  are  thus  enabled  to 
decide  as  to  what  is  the  right  and  perfect  construction 
or  "  nature"  of  mind,  and  also  as  to  its  right  and  per- 
fect action. 

In  regard  to  the  perfect  construction  of  mind,  we 
must  again  refer  to  the  fact  that  in  a  system  of  things 
where  both  natural  and  moral  evil  exist,  we  are 
obliged  to  suppose  a  limitation  of  power  by  the  nature 
of  things,  so  that  a  system  is  perfect,  not  as  excluding 
all  evil ;  for  as  evil  does  exist,  a  system  without  any  evil 
is  impossible.  All  that  remains,  then,  to  constitute  the 
idea  of  perfection,  (as  used  in  reference  to  things  as 
they  are)  is  this,  that  whatever  is  created  by  God,  is 
the  best  possible  in  the  nature  of  things. 

The  question  then  must  be  this,  is  the  mind  of  man, 
as  a  race^  the  best  in  construction,  that  is  possible  in 
the  nature  of  things  ?  Is  our  mind  made  as  good  as  it 
can  he,  so  that  no  change  is  possible  that  would  make 
it  better  ? 

In  replying  to  this  question,  we  must  regard  the 
matter  in  two  relations.  We  have  noticed,  in  the 
chapter  on  the  Constitutional  Yarieties  of  the  Human 
Mind,  that  while  there  are  powers  and  attributes  of 
mind  which  are  common  to  all,  there  is  an  endless  va- 
riety of  character  resulting  from  the  diverse  propor- 
tions and  combinations  of  these  several  faculties^  and 
also  that  there  are  diverse  grades  of  mind,  each  having 
these  diverse  combinations.  Some  races  of  men  are 
much  lower  in  the  scale  of  being,  every  way,  than 
other  races,  while  the  same  disparity  exists  among  in- 
dividuals of  the  same  race. 


i 


PEEFECT    IN    CONSTRUCTION.  12? 

Now  wlien  we  compare  individuals  witli  eacli  other, 
or  wlien  we  compare  races  in  these  respects,  we  regard 
them  as  more  or  less  perfect  in  organization  with  refer- 
ence to  the  highest  grade  or  species  known  to  us.  In 
this  relation  some  minds  are  to  be  regarded  as  imper- 
fect and  defective  in  organization.  And  in  reference 
to  any  one  individual  or  race  in  this  relation,  we  feel 
that  the  organization  could  be  improved. 

But  when  we  regard  each  mind  as  a  part  of  a  vast 
system^  in  which  the  highest  good  of  the  whole  will 
prove  the  highest  possible  good  of  each  individual 
part,  we  are  to  judge  of  perfection  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  mind  in  another  relation.  If  it  is  for  the 
greatest  happiness  of  the  whole  that  there  should 
be  grades  and  ranks  in  mental  powers ;  if  disparities 
and  varieties  in  organization  give  scope  and  exercise 
to  virtues  and  modes  of  enjoyment  that  would  be  im- 
possible were  all  minds  exactly  alike,  and  on  the  pat- 
tern of  the  highest  in  the  scale  of  being,  then  the 
veiy  points  which  are  imperfections  in  the  individual 
relations,  become  perfections  in  relation  to  the  great 
whole.  In  this  view,  the  lowest  and  humblest  in  the 
scale  of  being,  when  acting  in  his  appropriate  place 
and  according  to  the  great  Creator's  design,  is  perfect 
in  mental  construction,  and  is  fitted  to  be  happier  in 
every  respect  than  he  could  be  if  the  whole  system 
were  changed  by  placing  him  among  the  highest  in 
mental  organization. 

Just  as  it  is  with  the  human  system — ^the  lowly  foot 
is  perfect  and  complete  in  its  place,  though  inferior  in 
construction  and  service  to  the  regal  head  and  cun- 
ning hand.  And  should  the  foot  be  endowed  with  the 
higher  gifts  it  would  be  a  departure  from  its  perfec- 

6* 


130  EIGHT    AND    WRONG. 

tion  in  organization  as  related  to  the  whole.  The 
question,  then,  of  the  ^perfect  nature  of  each  human 
mind  requires  that  we  regard  each  one  as  a  part  of  an 
infinite  system  demanding  grades  and  ranks,  and  thus, 
also,  relative  disparities.  And  having  proved  that 
the  chief  design  of  the  Creator  is  to  make  the  hest 
possible  system,  we  are  necessarily  led  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  lowest  order  of  mind  is  as  perfect  in  its 
nature,  in  relation  to  the  great  whole,  as  is  the  highest 
of  all. 

From  the  above  we  gain  this  definition : 
A  perfect  mind^  as  to  construction  or  nature^  is  one 
which  is  better  fitted  to  its  position  in  the  best  possible 
system  of  minds  than  it  would  be  by  any  possible 
change. 

In  this  use  of  the  w^ords  nature  and  perfect  it  is 
claimed  that  in  the  preceding  pages  it  has  been  proved 
that  the  mind  of  man  is  perfect  in  nature.  Oar  next 
inquiry  will  relate  to  the  perfect  action  of  mind  in 
respect  to  that  which  is  voluntary  or  self-originated. 
In  other  words,  we  shall  inquire  as  to  the  perfect  moral 
action  of  the  human  mind,  as  discoverable  by  reason 
and  experience,  independently  of  revelation. 


CHAPTEE    XXII. 

RIGHT    AND    WRONG — TRUE    VIRTUE. 

Having  discovered  the  end  for  which  mind  is  made, 
and  thus  gained  the  idea  of  what  is  meant  by  perfect- 
ness,  in  its  nature  or  construction^  we  next  inquire  as 
to  what  is  the  perfect  action  of  mind. 


i 


TRUE    VIRTUE.  131 

Here  we  must  again  recognize  tlie  distinction  be- 
tween two  classes  of  mental  actions,  viz.,  those  acts 
whicli  are  natural  as  resulting  necessarily  from  the 
constitution  of  mind,  of  which.  God  is  the  producing 
cause,  and  those  which  are  voluntary  and  of  which 
man  is  the  producing  cause.  The  first  are  natural  and 
involuntary^  the  latter  are  moral  and  voluntary. 

This  introduces  the  second  part  of  the  system  of 
natural  religion,  that  which  relates  to  man^s  obliga- 
tions or  duty  toward  the  Creator,  toward  his  fellow 
beings,  and  toward  himself.  In  other  words,  the 
question  is,  "what  is  right  voluntary  or  moral  ac- 
tionr 

In  seeking  the  reply  to  this  without  the  aid  of  reve- 
lation, the  following  particulars  demand  attention : 

In  all  discussions  on  this  question  there  is  no  mental 
analysis  more  important  than  the  distinction  between 
the  desire,  or  what  moves  us  to  choose,  and  the  act  of 
choice. 

The  mind  is  always  moved  to  choice  by  desire  for 
some  good  to  be  gained  or  some  evil  to  be  avoided. 
The  susceptibility  or  power  of  being  thus  led,  in 
popular  language  is  called  a  "bias,"  an  ^'inclination," 
a  "propensity,"  a  "tendency,"  or  a  "proclivity"  to- 
ward the  object  which  causes  the  desire.  Thus  the 
susceptibility  to  desire  stimulating  drinks  is  excited 
by  liquors,  and  this  is  called  "  a  propensity"  to  strong 
drink. 

The  susceptibility  to  desire  to  amass  money  is  called 
a  bias,  or  propensity  to  avarice.  The  only  thing  ever 
meant  by  a  bias  or  propensity  to  choose  any  thing 
is,  that  there  are  such  susceptibilities  that  desire  can  be 
excited  for  that  thing. 


132  RIGHT    AND    WRONG. 

But  all  STicli  propensities  or  biases  are  from  evil  and 
toward  good  in  the  widest  sense  of  these  terms.  No 
rational  mind  ever  desires  pure  evil,  but  always  desires 
good  of  some  sort..  On  the  contrary,  it  is  one  of  the 
implanted  principles  of  common  sense  that  no  rational 
mind  will  choose  pure  evil.  Any  man  who  should  do 
this  would  be  regarded  as  insane — as  having  lost  the 
distinctive  feature  of  a  rational  mind. 

But  we  find  that  desires  are  called  strong^  impera- 
tive^  powerful,  and  the  like,  not  at  all  with  reference  to 
the  question  whether  what  is  desired  would  be  hest  for 
all  concerned.  They  are  measured,  as  to  strength  or 
weakness,  by  the  degrees  of  enjoyment  their  gratifica- 
tion secures,  or  the  amount  of  pain  that  self-denial 
would  involve.  This  measurement  of  varied  degrees 
of  pleasure  and  pain  is  a  matter  of  consciousness  to 
every  mind,  and  is  constantly  referred  to  by  all  races 
and  in  all  languages. 

In  this  use  of  the  term,  the  strongest  desire  often 
exists  for  that  which  is  perceived  to  be  the  hest  good 
for  all  concerned.  At  other  times  the  strongest  desire 
is  for  that  which  is  seen  to  be  the  lesser  good.  When 
the  strongest  desire  is  for  that  which  is  best,  the 
choice  is  easy,  and  the  mind  always  chooses  the  hest 
good.  But  when  the  strongest  desire  is  for  that  which 
is  not  best,  then  choice  is  more  difl^cult,  and  there  is 
a  conscious  struggle  between  the  promptings  of  rea- 
son and  conscience,  and  the  importunities  of  strong 
desire  for  the  lesser  good. 

At  such  periods  there  is  a  conscious  power  in  every 
mind  to  choose  either  way,  and  sometimes  we  choose 
to  gratify  the  strongest  desire  and  give  up  the  best 
good,  and  at  other  times  we  choose  the  best  good  and 


TRUE    VIRTUE.  138 

deny  tlie  strongest  desire.  Every  Imman  being  has 
been  conscious  of  this  struggle  between  excited  desire 
and  the  dictates  of  reason,  and  all  the  literature  of  the 
world  refers  to  it  as  a  universal  fact.  The  terms  self- 
denial^  self-control^  self-government^  all  are  based  on  this 
experience  of  all  minds.* 

Bight  Actions  and  Bewardoible  Actions. 

The  preceding  furnishes  the  ground  for  the  distinc- 


*  Metaphysicians  have  mystified  this  subject  thus :— They  say  "the 
will"  (or  choice)  invariably,  "is  as  is  the  greatest  apparent  good." 
But  when  it  is  inquired,  does  "  greatest  good,"  as  here  used,  signify 
that  which  the  intellect  decides  to  be  best  for  all  concerned,  and  thus 
right,  or  does  it  signify  that  which  causes  the  strongest  desire  as 
measured  by  our  own  consciousness  ?  It  will  be  found  that,  in  this 
metaphysical  statement  above,  it  means  both.  This  leads  to  the  same 
sort  of  confusion  as  would  result  from  using  the  word  straight  to  in- 
clude the  two  ideas  of  both  straight  and  crooked.  "With  such  an  en- 
larged, but  improper,  definition,  it  could  truly  be  said  that  men  inva- 
riably go  straight,  and  as  truly  that  they  also  invariably  go  crooked. 

The  only  way  in  which  the  expression,  "the  will  is  as  is  the  greatest 
apparent  good,''''  can  be  true,  is  to  use  the  term  to  include  both  what  is 
the  greatest  good  as  judged  by  the  intellect,  and  also  the  greatest  good 
as  causing  the  strongest  desire,  thus  making  one  word  express  two 
diverse  ideas. 

It  is  this  want  of  discrimination  in  the  use  of  the  term  "greatest 
apparent  good,"  by  President  Edwards,  which  accounts  for  the  fact 
that  one  class  of  the  most  acute  metaphysicians  regard  him  as  the  de- 
fender of  free  agency,  and  another  class,  equally  acute,  maintain  that 
he  teaches  the  exactly  opposite  doctrine  of  fatalism.  It  is  by  this  decep- 
tive use  of  the  words  greatest  apparent  good,  and  strongest  motive,  that 
such  invariableness  of  antecedence  and  consequents  is  made  out,  as  is  the 
proof  of  producing  causes  and  necessary  effects  in  the  material  world. 
Thus  results  the  idea  of  irrational  free  agency,  making  the  mind  of  man 
like  irrational  brutes,  inevitably  and  necessarily  controlled  by  the 
strongest  desire,  (or  strongest  motive)  and  destroying  all  idea  of  rational 
free  agency. 


134  RIGHT    AKD    WRONG. 

tions  always  recognized  between  voluntary  action 
which  is  right  as  hest  for  all  concerned,  and  those 
actions  which  are  deemed  praiseworthy^  rewardahle, 
and  meritorious. 

Whenever  the  dictates  of  reason  and  onr  strongest 
desire  are  coincident,  so  that  choosing  what  is  right 
and  best  involves  no  struggle ;  then  the  ideas  of  merit 
and  of  desert  of  reward,  praise,  and  commendation  are 
wanting.  "We  say  such  acts  are  right,  but  there  is  no 
merit  in  them,  and  no  proper  ground  for  adding  any 
other  reward  than  that  which  naturally  results  from 
choosing  what  we  desire  most,  and  which  is  best  for 
us  and  for  all  concerned. 

On  the  contrary,  when  there  is  a  struggle  between 
a  sense  of  what  is  right  and  best,  and  the  strongest  de- 
sire, and  a  choice  is  made  which  involves  self-denial  and 
self-sacrifice,  we  feel  that  the  act  is  one  which  is  merito- 
rious, and  deserving  of  reward  and  praise. 

Any  voluntary  action,  then,  is  right  which  is  con- 
formed to  those  rules  of  rectitude  which  tend  to  se- 
cure the  most  happiness  for  all,  even  when  there  is  no 
temptation  to  another  course.  But  an  action  is  meri- 
torious and  rewardahle  only  when  there  is  a  reference 
to  the  rules  of  rectitude  in  the  mind  of  the  actor  and 
some  degree  of  self-denial.  To  choose  what  we  desire 
most,  without  any  regard  to  what  is  right  or  wrong, 
even  when  it  chances  that  our  choice  is  that  which  is 
hest^  and  thus  right,  does  not  meet  our  idea  of  a  meri- 
torious and  praiseworthy  act. 

The  greater  portion  of  our  choices  are  of  those 
things  which  are  good  in  all  relations,  as  best  for  self 
and  best  for  all  concerned.  Thus  when  we  desire  to 
eat,  to  drink,  to  breathe  the  pure  air,  to  admire  the 


TRUE    VIRTUE.  135 

beauties  of  nature,  to  enjoy  the  society  of  friends, — ^to 
choose  these  and  a  thousand  other  daily  blessings, 
promotes  our  own  best  good  and  the  best  good  of  all 
concerned.  In  all  such  cases  choosing  what  we  desire 
most  is  morally  right  in  all  relations.  But  no  acts  of 
choice  are  meritorious^  except  as  they  involve  a  regard 
to  law  in  the  mind  of  the  actor,  and  some  degree  of 
self  denial  in  conforming  to  rule. 

The  only  cases  where  moral  evil  (or  wrong  choices) 
can  exist,  are  where  desires  are  excited  for  some  good, 
either  for  ourselves  or  for  others,  which  is  not  hest 
for  all  concerned.  In  all  such  cases  there  is  a  "bias," 
"tendency,"  and  "propensity"  to  choose  good  of  some 
sort,  but  it  is  not  the  hest  good,  and  therefore  to  choose 
it  would  be  morally  wrong.  Thus  there  is  a  bias  or 
propensity  to  what  is  good  in  one  relation,  but  evil  in 
another;  good  as  tending  to  give  enjoyment,  but  evil 
as  contrary  to  a  law  which  enjoins  that  the  hest  good 
should  always  be  preferred. 

In  such  cases  the  desires  for  a  good  which  is  not  for 
the  hest  are  not  morally  wrong,  for  they  arise  involun- 
tarily from  those  susceptibilities  implanted  by  God, 
which  are  not  to  be  exterminated,  but  only  regulated 
by  law.  The  moral  evil  consists  not  in  the'  existence 
of  such  desires,  but  in  choosing  to  gratify  them  at  the 
sacrifice  of  the  best  good  of  self  or  of  others. 

It  has  been  shown  that  one  result  of  the  wrong 
action  of  mind  is  such  a  change  in  its  constitutional 
nature,  that  there  will  be  a  desire  to  inflict  evil  on 
others  as  a  mahgnant  pleasure  to  the  guilty  mind.  In 
these  cases  such  desires  may  properly  be  called  morally 
wrong  because  they  are  the  result  of  the .  voluntary 
action  of  the  sinful  mind,  and  not  of  the  natural  sus- 


186  RIGHT    AND    WRONG* 

ceptibilities  implanted  by  the  Creator,  As  they  result 
wholly  from  wrong  previous  choices,  the  guilty  mind 
itself  is  the  author  of  them  and  not  the  Creator  of  mind. 

Here  it  is  important  to  discriminate  in  regard  to 
that  natural  impulse  in  all  minds  which  is  excited  by 
the  infliction  of  pain  on  self  or  on  others.  It  is  this 
natural  impulse  to  inflict  evil  on  the  author  of  evil 
which  is  the  foundation  of  justice  in  the  family  and 
in  the  civil  .state.  Its  design  is  for  the  best  good 
of  all  concerned,  and  it  becomes  evil  only  by  excess 
and  misuse.  So  long  as  it  is  controlled  by  reason  and 
conscience  it  is  good  and  only  good. 

In  view  of  the  above  distinctions,  there  can  be  no 
moral  evil  in  desires  for  things  which  it  would  be  wrong 
to  choose,  except  as  these  desires  are  the  result  of  previous 
wrong  choices.'^ 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  principle  of  hahit  renders 
it  more  and  more  easy  and  agreeable  to  regulate  our 
choices  by  the  rules  of  rectitude.  The  habit  of  sacri- 
ficing personal  gratification  to  the  rule  of  duty  may 
be  so  cultivated  that  what  at  first  was  difficult,  and 
involved  a  painfal  struggle,  becomes  easy.  It  is  pos- 
sible so  to  cultivate  such  habits  that  our  highest  de- 
sires, and  the  dictates  of  reason  and  conscience,  shall 
continually  be  more  and  more  coincident. 

We  can  conceive  of  newly-created  beings  as  placed 
in  such  circumstances  that,  for  a  considerable  period,  all 
their  strongest  desires  may  be  coincident  with  the  best 
good  of  themselves  and  of  others,  so  that  there  can  be 
no  opportunity  to  practice  self-control  in  regulating 
their  desires  by  the  rules  of  rectitude.    In  such  a  case, 

*  This  is  a  very  important  point  in  regard  to  the  question  of  a  de- 
praved nature. 


TRUE    VIRTUE.  137 

while  acting  simply  from  impulse,  witliout  reference 
to  rule,  they  would  always  act  right,  and  yet  they 
would  form  no  habits  of  self-control,  and  thus  would 
be  liable  to  fail  at  the  first  temptation  where  their 
strongest  desire  conflicted  with  the  known  law  of  rec- 
titude. 

The  preceding  statements  are  made  in  order  to 
arrive  at  correct  and  discriminating  definitions  of 
certain  fundamental  terms  on  which  the  whole  ques- 
tion of  the  "depraved  nature"  of  the  human  mind  will 
be  found  to  turn. 

RigJit  in  Tendency  and  Right  in  Motive. 

Mankind  in  all  ages  and  in  all  languages  speak  of 
certain  acts  as  right  or  wrong  in  reference  to  their 
tendency  or  their  effect  on  human  happiness,  and  with- 
out reference  to  the  intention  of  the  author.  Thus  they 
affirm  that  the  stealing  and  selling  of  men  is  wrong, 
whatever  may  be  the  motives  of  the  slave  trader. 

Again,  they  speak  of  acts  as  right  or  wrong  in  ref- 
erence to  the  motive  or  intention  of  the  author.  Thus 
they  say  a  man  who  sacrificed  his  wealth  and  reputa- 
tion, rather  than  to  violate  his  conscience,  acted  right 
as  to  motive,  although  he  was  mistaken  in  his  views  of 
duty,  so  that  his  act,  as  it  respects  its  tendency,  may 
have  been  wrong. 

Bight  General  Purpose. 

Again,  it  has  been  shown  that  a  man  may  form  a 
general  purpose  to  act  right  in  obeying  all  the  laws  of 
God  as  discoverable  by  reason  or  revelation.  This 
general  purpose  may  be  a  quiet,  abiding  principle,  so 
as  to  regulate  the  thoughts  and  emotions,  and  may  con- 


188  RIGHT    AND    WRONG. 

trol  most  of  the  specific  clioices  of  a  wliole  succeeding 
life.  The  main  purpose^  or  chief  end  of  such  a  man  is 
to  bring  all  his  thoughts,  words,  and  actions  into  per- 
fect agreement  with  the  rules  of  rectitude.  In  refer- 
ence to  this  and  his  consequent  conduct,  his  would  be 
denominated  a  virtuous  character. 

No  one  will  deny  that  this  is  a  correct  statement  of 
the  use  of  terms  by  mankind  in  every-day  life.  Thus 
then  we  have  gained  the  following  definitions  as  es- 
tablished, not  by  metaphysicians  and  theologians,  but 
by  the  people. 

Definitions. 

A  right  moral  act,  as  it  respects  its  tendencies^  is  one 
in  which  the  thing  chosen  is  for  the  lest  good  of  all 
concerned. 

A  right  moral  act,  as  to  motive,  is  one  in  which  the 
intention  of  the  actor  is  to  conform  to  the  rules  of  rec- 
titude. 

A  meritorious  or  praiseworthy  act  is  one  in  which 
there  is  some  sacrifice  of  feeling,  either  immediate  or 
remote,  in  order  to  conform  to  law. 

A  virtuous  act  is  one  in  which  that  which  is  chosen 
is  right,  both  in  tendency  and  in  motive. 

A  virtuous  character  is  one  in  which  a  general  pur- 
pose exists  to  obey  all  the  rules  of  rectitude.  The 
degree  of  virtue  is  dependent  on  a  correct  judgment 
of  what  is  right  or  wrong,  and  the  strength  or  meas- 
ure of  the  general  purpose  in  controlling  all  other 
purposes.  Some  men  carry  out  a  general  purpose 
much  more  steadily  and  consistently  than  others,  and 
some  men  have  much  more  correct  ideas  of  what  is 
right  and  wrong  in  conduct  than  others. 


i 


TRUE    VIRTUE.  139 

The  natural  character  of  a  man  is  tliat  which  results 
from  his  constitutional  powers  and  faculties  of  mind, 
of  which  God  is  the  author. 

The  moral  character  of  a  man  is  all  that  results  from 
his  own  willing. 

Our  highest  idea  of  a  virtuous  character,  as  gained 
hj  experience  and  observation,  is  that  of  a  mind  so 
trained  to  habits  of  self-control  and  obedience  to  rule, 
that  it  has  become  easier  to  obey  the  laws  of  rectitude, 
than  to  gratify  any  excited  desire,  however  impera- 
tive, which  is  seen  to  violate  law. 

Thus,  then,  it  is  shown  that  a  virtuous  character  con- 
sists, not  in  the  nature  of  the  mind  which  is  given  by 
God,  bu.t  in  the  purposes,  habits,  and  feelings  generated 
by  voluntary  acts,  of  which  the  man  himself  is  the  au- 
thor; God  being  the  cause  or  author,  of  this  virtue 
only  as  he  is  the  Creator  of  mind  and  of  all  its  cir- 
cumstances of  temptation  and  trial. 

In  regard  to  the  formation  of  a  virtuous  character, 
as  a  matter  of  experience,  it  usually  results  from  a 
slow  and  gradual  process  of  training  and  development. 
The  general  purpose  to  obey  all  the  laws  of  rectitude 
originates,  as  a  general  fact,  not  as  a  definitely  formed 
purpose,  whose  time  of  inception  can  be  distinctly 
marked.  Yet  it  is  not  unifrequently  the  case  that  per- 
sons who  have  passed  a  life  of  unrestrained  indulgence, 
by  some  marked  and  powerful  influence,  are  suddenly 
led  to  a  decided  and  definitely  marked  purpose  of  vir- 
tuous obedience,  and  carry  out  this  purpose  with  great 
success. 

Any  such  sudden  change,  in  popular  language, 
would  be  called  *'  the  commencement  of  a  new  life." 
And  when  this  sudden  change  takes  place  under  the 


140  EIGHT   AND    WRONG. 

influence  of  motives  presented  in  the  Bible,  it  is  called 
by  one  class  of  theologians  the  "  new  birth"  or  "  re- 
generation." 

Is  True  Virtue  Possible  before  Regeneration  f 
In  the  discussions  which  are  to  follow,  it  will  be 
found  that  almost  every  point  debated  involves,  as  a 
foundation  question,  "what  is  true  virtue?"  And 
the  grand  question  at  issue  between  the  system  of 
common  sense  and  the  teachings  of  all  theologi- 
ans who  uphold  the  Augustine  theory,  is  this :  is 
true  virtue  possible  to  an  unregenerate  mind  ?  The- 
ology says  no,  common  sense  says  yes.  Theology 
teaches  that  previous  to  regeneration  every  voluntary- 
act  of  every  human  mind  is  "sin,  and  only  sin." 
Common  sense  maintains,  on  the  contrary,  that  every 
voluntary  act  which  is  in  agreement  with  the  best 
good  of  all  concerned,  when  the  intention  is  to  act 
right,  is  virtuous  without  any  regard  to  the  question 
of  the  regeneration  of  the  mind.  In  other  words, 
theology  teaches  that  true  virtue  is  the  right  volun- 
tary action  of  a  mind  after  its  "nature"  is  changed  by 
God,  and  common  sense  teaches  that  true  virtue  is 
the  right  voluntary  action  of  any  mind  without  any 
change  in  its  nature. 

The  discussion  of  this  point  involves  the  further 
consideration  of  certain  mental  experiences  which  will 
shed  some  light  on  the  subject.  It  will  be  found  that 
in  case  of  all  persons  who  are  said  to  "act  on  princi- 
ple," or  to  be  "conscientious  persons,"  that,  in  the 
greater  portion  of  their  voluntary  acts,  they  have  no 
conscious  immediate  reference  to  the  rules  of  rectitude. 
There  seems  to  be  an  unconscious  general  purpose  to 


TRUE    VIRTUE.  141 

act  right  on  all  occasions,  whicli  becomes  obvious  only 
wben  a  case  occurs  involving  a  seeming  violation  of 
the  rules  of  rectitude.  At  sucb  times  the  mind  be- 
comes conscious  of  its  ruling  purpose.  But  the  greater 
portion  of  all  the  daily  acts  of  life  have  been  decided 
upon  as  in  agreement  with  the  all-controlling  general 
purpose,  and  a  man  chooses  to  do  many  things  in 
which  he  has  no  conscious  reference  to  rule.  And 
still  such  acts  have,  in  past  time,  been  subjects  of 
reflection  in  reference  to  the  question  of  right  and 
wrong,  and  have  been  decided  to  be  right,  and  it  is  in 
consequence  of  this  decision  that  the  mind  no  longer 
considers  these  questions  with  a  conscious  reference 
to  rule. 

The  distinction  between  what  is  denominated  "a 
man  of  principle"  and  an  "  unprincipled  man,"  is  simply 
this,  that  the  former  is  one  who  has  formed  habits  of 
self-regulation  by  the  rules  of  rectitude,  and  the  latter 
has  not. 

This  mental  analysis  is  important  in  reference  to 
deciding  the  character  of  a  virtuous  action. 

A  virtuous  act,  as  defined  above,  is  one  in  which 
the  thing  chosen  is  right  and  the  motive  is  right. 
But  it  is  not  indispensable  that  the  person  who  per- 
forms the  act  should  be  immediately  conscious  of  a 
reference  to  rule  in  each  right  specific  volition.  It 
is  sufficient  that  the  mind  be  under  the  control  of  a 
ruling  purpose  of  rectitude,  so  that  all  the  subordi- 
nate minor  purposes  are  in  fact  regulated,  though  un- 
consciously, by  this  purpose. 

It  is  at  this  point  that  the  class  of  theologians  who 
make  regeneration  to  include  a  voluntary  act  on  the 
part  of  man,  are  in  antagonism  with  the  experience 


142  RIGHT   AND    WRONG. 

and  common  sense  of  mankind.  Such,  maintain  that 
every  act  of  every  human  being  is  '*sin,  and  only 
sin,"  until  a  ruling  purpose  is  formed  to  obey  God  as 
the  chief  end,  and  one  also  which  is  actually  Tnore  effi- 
cient and  stronger  in  controlling  the  ordinary  acts  of 
life  than  the  purpose  to  gratify  self.  Previous  to  the 
existence  of  this  general  purpose,  they  maintain  that 
every  act  of  self-denial  or  self-sacrifice  for  the  good 
of  others  is  "  sin,  and  only  sin."  According  to  their 
theory,  choosing  that  which  is  right  because  it  is  right, 
is  not  a  virtuous  act  until  a  ruling  purpose  of  univer- 
sal obedience  to  God  is  formed. 

That  is  to  say,  it  is  the  ruling  purpose^  or  the  want 
of  a  ruling  purpose  to  obey  God  in  all  things,  which 
decides  the  character  of  every  specific  act  of  choice. 
Thus  if  a  child  is  trained  to  be  honest,  truthful,  and 
self-denying,  and  succeeds  very  often  in  conforming  to 
such  instructions,  there  is  no  true  virtue  in  any  such 
acts  until  a  ruling  purpose  of  obedience  to  God  is 
generated,  which  is  habitually  more  controlling  than 
the  impulses  of  self-indulgence.  This  is  the  point 
where  the  people  and  theologians  are  at  issue. 

The  people  insist  that  every  act  is  virtuous  when  the 
thing  chosen  is  right  and  the  intention  is  right,  even 
before  the  mind  of  a  child  has  attained  a  ruling  pur- 
pose of  universal  obedience.  Theologians  say  no; 
such  acts  are  "  sin,  and  only  sin,"  in  the  sight  of  God.* 

It  will  be  shown  hereafter  that  the  theory  of  theol- 
ogy on  this  subject  is  not  carried  out  consistently  in 
practice,  but  that  in  the  early  training  of  little  children 
theologians  contradict  their  own  theory  and  adopt  that 
of  the  people. 

*  This  refers  to  those  theologians  who  teach  that  regeneration  con- 
sists not  in  a  change  of  nature  but  of  purpose. 


TEUE   VIRTUE.  143 

Perfeciness  in  Construction  and  Perfectness  in  Action 
and  Character. 

In  a  previous  chapter  we  liave  seen  [p.  103]  that 
our  idea  of  perfectness  in  moral  character  and  action 
always  has  reference  to  power.  In  a  system  where 
evil  is  actually  existing,  we  regard  a  contrivance  or 
an  action  as  perfect  when  there  is  no  power  in  God  or 
man  to  make  it  better,  even  when  evil  is  involved. 
A  being  is  perfect  in  character  and  in  action  when  his 
purpose  is  to  do  the  best  possible  for  all  concerned,  and 
when  this  purpose  is  carried  out  to  the  ftdl  extent  of 
his  power. 

We  have  shown  in  the  preceding  chapter  that  the 
mind  of  man  is  perfect  in  nature  or  construction  as 
being  better  fitted  to  its  place  in  the  best  possible  sys- 
tem of  mind  than  it  would  be  by  any  change  possible 
either  to  God  or  man. 

The  preceding  pages  of  this  chapter  enable  us  to 
point  out  what  is  the  perfect  moral  character  of  minds 
which  are  perfect  in  construction.  It  consists  in  a 
ruling  purpose  to  discover  and  to  obey  all  the  laws  of  the 
Creator  J  which  is  carried  out  to  the  full  extent  of  power  in 
the  one  who  thus  purposes. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  Creator  himself  is 
limited  by  the  eternal  nature  of  things  to  a  system 
which,  though  the  best  possible,  makes  him,  in  one 
sense,  the  author  of  some  evil,  both  natural  and  moral. 
He  is  the  author  only  as  the  Creator  of  all  things,  and 
thus  the  author  of  all  the  consequent  results  of  cre- 
ation, even  of  those  that  are  morally  evil.  In  this  sense 
alone  is  he  the  author  of  either  natural  or  moral  evil. 

The  infinite  and  eternal  mind  of  God  is  limited,  not 


IM  RIGHT    AND   WRONG. 

by  want  of  wisdom  and  knowledge,  but  by  the  eternal 
nature  of  tilings  of  which  his  own  existence  and  natu- 
ral attributes  are  a  part.  But  finite  minds  are  lim- 
ited by  a  want  of  knowledge  and  wisdom  which  can 
be  the  result  only  of  experience  and  training.  For  the 
want  of  this  knowledge  and  training  every  finite 
mind,  so  far  as  we  can  discover  by  reason  and  ex- 
perience, must  inevitably  violate  the  laws  of  God. 
And  yet  any  mind  may  be  perfect  in  moral  charac- 
ter and  action  in  exactly  the  same  sense  as  G-od  is  per- 
fect, {i.  e.,)  it  may  form  and  carry  out  a  purpose  to 
conform  to  the  laws  of  the  existing  system  of  things 
to  the  full  extent  of  its  hnowledge  and  power.  When  this 
purpose  is  formed  and  carried  out  to  the  full  measure 
of  ability,  the  finite  creature  becomes  "  perfect,  even  as 
our  Father  which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect." 

Common  Sense  Theory  of  the  Origin  of  Evil. 

What  then  is  the  cause  or  origin  of  evil  as  taught 
by  reason  and  experience  ? 

It  is  the  eternal  nature  of  things  existing  independently 
of  the  will  of  the  Creator  or  of  any  other  heing. 

What  is  the  cause  of  the  existence  of  this  created 
system  ?    It  is  the  will  of  the  Creator. 

What  is  the  cause  or  reason  why  God  willed  that 
this  system  should  be  as  it  is,  with  all  the  evil  that  ex- 
ists ?  It  is  because  it  is  the  best  system  possible  in  the 
nature  of  things. 

What  is  the  cause  or  reason  that  any  given  event, 
however  evil,  is  not  prevented  by  God?  It  is  because 
any  change  that  would  prevent  it,  would  alter  the  best 
possible  system,  and  thus  make  more  evil  than  the  one 
thus  prevented. 


LAWS    AND    PENALTIES.  145 

CHAPTEK    XXIII. 

LAWS   AND    PENALTIES — SIN    AND    HOLINESS. 

The  laws  of  God,  in  regard  to  voluntary  action,  are 
those  invariable  arrangements  in  mind  and  matter  by 
which  happiness  or  pain  are  connected  with  certain 
feelings  and  actions. 

Thus  it  is  an  invariable  arrangement  that  pain  shall 
be  connected  with  touching  fire,  and  pleasure  with 
seeing  the  light.  So  in  regard  to  the  intellect ;  plea- 
sure is  invariably  connected  with  the  exercise  of  wit 
and  humor,  and  disgust  with  folly  and  fatuity.  So 
the  moral  sense  is  invariably  pleased  with  truth,  jus- 
tice, and  integrity,  and  pained  by  the  opposite. 

"Whenever,  therefore,  we  discover  what  invariably 
affords  pleasure  or  pain,  we  discover  one  of  the  laws 
of  God. 

To  discover  these  laws,  and  to  believe  in  them,  is 
as  indispensable  to  the  right  action  of  mind  as  light  is 
indispensable  to  perfect  eyes  in  order  to  see. 

The  first  lesson  of  every  new-born  spirit  is  to  dis- 
cover the  laws  that  relate  to  its  own  enjoyment. 
Whenever  a  child  chooses  any  thing  which  secures 
enjoyment  without  harm  to  itself  or  to  others,  it  is 
acting  as  its  Creator  designed,  and  this  action  is  there- 
fore right.  And  whenever  it  chooses  what  will  cause 
needless  pain  to  itself  or  to  others,  it  acts  wrong. 
Most  of  the  choices  of  a  little  child  are  of  what  is  right 
as  giving  enjoyment  without  harm. 

The  grand  law  of  God,  as  learned  by  experience,  is 
that  every  mind  must  sacrifice  the  lesser  for  the  greater 

1 


146  LAWS    AND    PENALTIES. 

good  in  gratifying  its  own  desires.  "When  tlie  inter- 
ests of  others  are  not  concerned,  the  child  must  always 
choose  not  what  it  desires  the  most,  but  what  is  best 
for  itself.  It  is  the  first  labor  of  the  educator  to  make 
a  child  understand  and  obey  this  first  part  of  the  law 
of  sacrifice. 

But  where  the  feelings  and  interests  of  others  are 
involved,  the  law  of  God  is,  that  the  lesser  good  of  the 
individual  shall  always  be  sacrificed  to  the  greater 
good  of  the  many.  Each  mind  of  the  great  common- 
wealth is  to  act,  not  to  make  self-gratification  the  first 
thing,  but  to  make  the  greatest  possible  happiness  with 
the  least  possible  evil  for  the  whole  commonwealth 
the  predominant  purpose.  And  such  is  the  system  of 
the  Creator  that  whatever  is  for  the  best  good  of  the 
whole  is  for  the  best  good  of  each  individual. 

Thus  it  appears  that  obedience  to  the  laws  of  God^ 
'physical^  intellectual^  social^  and  moral,  is  to  be  chosen 
as  the  ruling  purpose  of  each  mind.  And  this  is  the 
mode  by  which  all  rational  beings  are  to  promote  the 
end  or  design  for  which  all  things  are  made,  (^.  e.,) 
happiness-making  on  the  greatest  possible  scale  for 
the  great  commonwealth. 

Now  it  is  very  certain  that  no  human  mind  is 
able,  by  its  own  solitary  investigations,  to  discover 
all  the  physical,  intellectual,  social,  and  moral  laws  of 
God. 

Many  of  these  laws  we  can  learn  by  experience,  but 
for  the  greater  portion  we  are  dependent  on  the  in- 
struction of  others.  Therefore  truth  on  the  part  of 
educators,  and  faith  on  the  part  of  the  learners  are  as 
indispensable  to  the  right  action  of  mind  as  is  light  to 
the  right  action  of  the  eye  in  seeing.     Not  a  '*  dead," 


LAWS    AND    PENALTIES.  147 

merely  intellectual  belief,  but  a  "saving  faith"  that 
controls  tbe  feelings  and  conduct. 

We  now  are  enabled  to  define  the  kind  of  inability 
as  to  obeying  the  laws  of  God,  which,  inevitably  at- 
tends every  mind  that  commences  its  existence  in  this 
world.  As  yet  there  have  never  been  perfectly  true 
educators  of  young  minds,  while  perfect  faith,  that  is 
to  say,  "  saving  faith,"  in  the  teachings  that  are  true  is 
as  much  wanting.  The  young  child  can  not  be  made 
to  understand,  and  therefore  can  not  believe,  or  have 
faith  in  many  of  the  laws  of  God  and  the  penalties 
connected  with  them.     This  no  one  will  deny. 

Several  Classes  of  Moral  Actions. 

There  are  several  classes  of  moral  actions.  The 
first  class  includes  those  which  in  all  cases  destroy 
the  best  good  of  man.  Of  these  are  wanton  cruelty  to 
helpless  creatures,  and  ingratitude  in  returning  need- 
less evil  for  good.  In  regard  to  such  the  mind,  by  its 
very  constitutional  impulses,  revolts  from  them  and 
feels  them  to  be  wrong  without  any  process  of  reason- 
ing. So  also  all  those  actions  that  in  all  cases  cause 
enjoyment  without  evil,  are  instinctively  felt  to  be 
right  without  any  reflection. 

But  there  are  many  actions  that  are  entirely  depend- 
ent on  circumstances  for  their  moral  character.  Thus 
to  punish  a  little  child  in  one  case  would  be  cruel  and 
wrong,  in  another  it  might  be  benevolent  and  right. 
To  take  a  woman,  when  not  married  to  another,  for  a 
wife  is  right,  but  wrong  if  she  is  married.  And  so 
with  thousands  of  other  actions. 

Again,  some  actions  that  do  no  harm  to  any  indi- 
vidual at  a  given  time,  are  wrong  because  they  would 


148  LAWS    AND    PENALTIES, 

be  destructive  to  general  happiness,  if  generally  al- 
lowed ;  or,  in  other  words,  they  are  wrong  in  tendency. 
Thus,  in  a  given  case,  a  lie  might  do  a  great  deal  of 
good  and  no  immediate  harm.  And  yet  it  would  be 
wrong,  because  leaving  it  to  every  man's  discretion 
when  it  was  best  to  lie  would  in  the  end  destroy  all 
confidence  in  human  testimony. 

Again,  many  of  the  laws  of  God  can  be  discovered 
only  by  long  experience  of  many  communities.  As 
soon  as  experience  has  shown  that  any  practice  will  do 
more  harm  than  good,  then  the  law  of  God  is  dis- 
covered and  it  becomes  obligatory.  Thus  the  question 
of  polygamy  has  been  settled.  Thus,  too,  the  vending 
of  alcoholic  drinks  has  been  decided  to  be  wrong  as  a 
general  practice. 

Here  comes  up  the  distinction  between  wrong  choices 
that  deserve  blame  and  punishment,  and  those  that  do 
not.  In  the  natural  system  of  the  Creator  all  violations 
of  law  are  followed  by  the  natural  penalties  without 
any  reference  to  the  motives,  knowledge,  or  ability  of 
the  agent.  All  questions  among  men,  as  to  blame  and 
retribution,  have  reference  to  the  adding  of  other  pen- 
alties and  rewards  in  the  present  or  future  state.  It  is 
only  in  regard  to  suck  that  the  questions  of  blame,  of 
justice,  and  of  mercy  are  to  be  debated.  Without 
revelation  we  have  no  evidence  that  the  natural  pen- 
alties of  law  are  ever  suspended,  either  as  a  matter  of 
justice  or  mercy.  In  the  case  of  great  crimes  and 
wrongs,  that  additional  penalties  are  to  follow  in  a 
future  state  is  what  all  men  fear,  and  this  it  is  which 
induces  self-inflictions  to  secure  pardon  for  sin. 

Now  these  are  distinctions  existing  in  all  rational 
minds,  and  are  continually  referred  to  in  every-day 


SIN    AND    HOLINESS.  149 

life.  But  it  is  impossible  for  any  but  an  omniscient 
being  to  decide  on  all  the  motives  that  regulate  the 
actions  of  others,  while  even  our  own  motives  are  often 
so  hidden  and  complex  that  we  are  blinded  as  to  their 
true  character. 

•  The  language  of  common  life  does  not  always  recog- 
nize these  distinctions.  When  a  wrong  action  is  done 
the  actor  is  called  a  wrong-doer,  and  is  blamed  for  the 
deed.  And  the  fact  that  he  believed  that  he  was  act- 
ing right,  and  even  that  he  practices  self-denial  in  per- 
forming what  is  imagined  to  be  a  duty,  though  it  pal- 
liateS;  does  not  ordinarily  end  all  displeasure.  For  in 
multitudes  of  cases  the  ignorance  of  duty  results  from 
pride  or  selfish  neglect  of  inquiry.  And  few  are  com- 
petent to  decide  how  far  the  ignorance  is  a  misfortune 
and  not  a  fault. 

It  is  owing  to  this  fact  that  most  of  the  language  of 
hfe  assumes  that  all  violations  of  law  are  blamably 
wrong,  and  are  to  be  punished  here  or  hereafter.  In 
the  most  common  use  of  the  term,  "  sin  is  the  trans- 
gression of  law."  At  the  same  time  men  recognize 
the  distinction  between  sins  of  ignorance  and  willftd 
sin. 

SIN    AND    HOLINESS. 

The  preceding,  then,  warrants  the  definition  of  sin 
as  "  the  transgression  of  law,^^  whether  known  or  un- 
known. The  question  of  the  rectitude  of  penalties 
added  to  the  natural  consequences  of  violated  laws,  is 
confined  to  those  sins  which  are  attended  by  a  knowl- 
edge of  law  and  ability  to  understand  and  obey. 

These  distinctions  and  definitions  are  important  be- 
cause a  large  class  of  theologians  maintain  that  sin  is 


/^ 


150  SIN    AND    HOLINESS. 

the  voluntary  transgression  of  known  law,  and  make 
this  definition  the  foundation  of  their  assertion  that  all 
men  have  power  to  be  perfect  in  conformity  to  all  law, 
meaning  by  this  all  the  laws  of  God  that  they  hnow 
and  helieve.  On  this  theory  sin  is  the  transgression  of 
known  law,  and  not  of  that  which  is  unknown.  And 
on  this  theory  one  way  to  keep  children  from  sin 
would  be  to  keep  them  in  ignorance  of  God's  laws. 

The  writer  maintains  that  this  limited  use  is  not  the 
common  meaning.  Mankind  do  not  stop  to  settle  the 
question  whether  men  were  ignorant  of  what  was  right, 
before  they  decide  that  they  sin.  Often  such  ignorance 
results  from  an  unwillingness  or  indolence  that  pre- 
vents attention,  and  few  can  decide  how  far  our  igno- 
rance of  law  results  from  guilty  neglect.  It  is  true 
that  when  a  perfect  and  innocent  inability  to  know 
law  is  proved,  the  added  penalties  of  statute  law  are 
remitted.  But  still  the  natural  penalties  are  unremit- 
ted. 

The  word  holy  in  its  original  use  signifies  set  apart 
or  consecrate  to  the  special  service  of  some  deity.  Thus 
the  vessels  of  a  temple,  the  priests  and  the  building 
are  called  holy  in  this  sense.  In  reference  to  moral  acts 
or  choices,  this  term  is  used  as  recognizing  the  fact  that 
a  mind  may  be  voluntarily  consecrated  or  devoted  to 
the  service  of  God  by  right  action,  or  obedience  to  his 
laws.  God  himself  is  called  holy  on  the  supposition 
that  there  are  rules  of  right  and  wrong  in  the  nature 
of  things,  independent  of  his  will,  and  that  his  will  is 
conformed  to  these  rules,  while  men  are  called  holy  in 
reference  chiefly  to  the  will  or  service  of  their  Creator. 

In  the  Creator  holiness  signifies  perfect  voluntary 
conformity  to  that  which  \sfor  the  lest  according  to  the 


LOVE    TO    GOD    AND    MAN.  151 

eternal  nature  of  things.  In  men  perfect  holiness  is 
perfect  conformity  of  will  to  the  laws  or  will  of  God, 
both  absolutely  and  in  motive  or  intention.  A  mind 
is  consecrated  to  God  when  its  ruling  purpose  is  to 
obey  him  in  all  things.  In  this  use  of  the  term  holi- 
ness in  man,  is  what  can  not  be  created,  as  it  is  a 
voluntary  act  of  his  own  mind. 

The  question  whether  Adam  was  created  with  "  a 
holy  nature,"  while  his  posterity  begin  existence  here 
with  an  '^  unholy  nature,"  must  be  settled  by  a  clear 
definition  of  the  words  employed. 

If  the  term  "  nature"  refers  to  the  construction  of 
the  mind  itseK  as  made  by  God,  a  holy  nature  must 
signify  that  organization  and  combination  of,  the  nat- 
ural powers  of  mind,  which  is  the  best  possible  for  a 
mind  in  its  appointed  place  in  the  best  possible  system. 

If,  on  the  contrary,  the  term  "  nature"  refers  to  that 
character  of  mind  consequent  on  its  own  volitions, 
then  a  holy  nature  can  be  caused  or  created  only  by 
man  himself  as  the  sole  producing  cause  of  his  own 
volitions,  God  being  the  author  or  cause  of  this  nature 
only  in  the  sense  in  which  men  are  causes  of  volun- 
tary action  in  other  minds,  viz.,  occasional  causes  by 
the  use  of  motives  or  objects  that  excite  desires. 


CHAPTEK    XXIV. 

LOVE    TO    GOD    AND    LOVE    TO    MAN. 

In  a  former  chapter  we  have  noticed  the  analysis  of 
the  principle  of  love.     It  is  needful  to  refer  to  this 


152  LOVE    TO    GOD, 

again,  as  intimately  connected  with  the  question  of 
the  right  moral  action  of  finite  minds. 

We  have  seen  that  love  is  a  complex  exercise,  its 
first  element  being  agreeable  emotions  in  view  of  cer- 
tain qualities  and  actions.  Combined  with  these  emo- 
tions co-exists  a  desire  of  reciprocated  regard,  that  is 
to  say,  a  desire  to  be  the  cause  of  similar  agreeable 
emotions  to  the  one  loved.  These  are  constitutional 
impulses  not  at  all  consequent  on  any  vohtion  or 
choice,  and  as  the  involuntary  element  of  love,  are 
properly  called  involuntary  love.  Such  love  can  not 
be  justly  demanded  except  where  those  quahties  are, 
or  can  be,  perceived  which  naturally  awaken  agreeable 
emotions.  In  cases  where  the  qualities  exist  that 
would  naturally  awaken  affection  if  noticed,  and  the 
want  of  it  is  owing  to  inattention,  a  proper  regard  to 
such  qualities  can  be  justly  demanded.  But  this  is 
the  only  particular  in  which  involuntary  love  can  be 
made  the  subject  of  law  and  penalties. 

But  the  main  element  of  love,  as  practically  esti- 
mated among  men,  is  such  a  desire  of  good  to  the  one 
loved  as  involves  the  good  willing  or  voluntary  effort 
to  please  and  gratify.  If  a  friend  simply  is  pleased 
with  our  good  qualities,  and  wishes  to  please  us  with 
his  naturally  agreeable  traits  in  return,  it  is  of  little 
value  in  comparison  with  the  truer  love  which  is 
shown  in  voluntary  efforts  to  please  and  make  happy. 
This  last  is  the  main  element  of  true  affection,  and 
properly  is  called  voluntary  love  or  good  willing.  The- 
ologians express  this  distinction  by  the  terms  the  love 
of  complacency  and  the  love  of  henevolencc. 

Thus  we  have  gained  these  definitions : 

Involuntary  love  toward  God  and  toward  men  con- 


AND    LOVE    TO    MAN.  153 

sists  in  agreeable  emotions  in  view  of  admirable  quali- 
ties. 

Voluntary  love  toward  God  and  toward  men  consists 
in  good  willing^  or  the  voluntary  effort  to  please  and 
make  happy. 

To  "love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves'^  must  refer 
solely  to  voluntary  love,  for  we  have  no  regard  to  our 
own  agreeable  qualities  in  the  love  of  self.  Self-love 
is  simply  the  desire  and  will  to  please  and  gratify  self. 
This  then  is  the  hind  of  love  that  can  properly  be  de- 
manded of  all.  Each  one  can  justly  be  required  to 
will  or  choose  to  please  and  gratify  others  the  same  as 
we  do  ourselves.  Each  can  be  required  to  estimate 
the  happiness  of  every  other  mind  as  of  the  same 
value  as  his  own,  and  to  exercise  good  willing  for 
others  as  we  do  for  our  own  enjoyment.  From  this 
primary  principle  necessarily  results  the  law  demand- 
ing that  the  good  of  the  commonwealth  shall  always 
take  precedence  of  any  individual  concern.  If  we  are 
bound  to  value  the  happiness  of  each  mind  as  equal  in 
value  to  our  own,  the  inevitable  result  is  that  we  are 
to  estimate  the  happiness  of  many  minds  as  of  more 
value  than  our  own,  so  as  always  to  make  our  own 
enjoyment  and  wishes  subordinate  and  secondary  to 
the  general  good. 

Still  more  are  we  to  regard  the  feelings  and  wishes 
of  our  Creator  and  Supreme  Lord.  He  has  infinite 
susceptibilities  of  enjoyment  and  suffering,  and  thus 
whatever  retards  or  promotes  his  wishes  and  plans 
must  be  of  as  much  more  value  as  his  powers  of  en- 
joyment and  suffering  are  greater  than  ours.  The 
love  of  good  willing  then  should  have  first  reference  to 
God  as  the  one  whose  will  and  wishes  are  of  more 

7* 


154  LOVE    TO    GOD, 

value  than  any  other  being  in  this  relation  alone. 
Still  more  are  we  bound  to  regard  his  will  and  wishes 
as  first  in  value,  because  his  chief  end  and  aim  is  the 
most  possible  happiness  to  all  the  creatures  he  has 
made.  To  will  to  please  God  as  the  chief  end  of  our 
existence  is  the  same  as  to  choose  to  make  the  most 
possible  happiness,  not  only  to  him,  but  to  all  his 
creatures. 

Involuntary  love  is  valuable  as  rendering  it  easier 
and  more  agreeable  to  labor  for  the  welfare  of  others. 
Those  whose  interesting  traits  please  us ;  those  who, 
as  children  or  friends,  contribute  to  our  enjoyment, 
and  those  who  in  any  way  give  us  pleasure,  it  is  far 
easier  to  will  for  their  enjoyment  than  it  is  to  do  so 
for  those  who  do  nothing  to  please  us,  and  perhaps 
only  give  us  discomfort,  anxiety  or  disgust. 

JDhis  exhibits  an  indirect  way  of  securing  the  love 
of  good  will  toward  those  who  neither  please  us  by 
their  agreeable  qualities,  nor  are  causes  of  enjoyment 
to  us  in  any  way.  Involuntary  affection  may  be  so 
strongly  excited  toward  one  whose  qualities  or  con- 
duct cause  delight  to  self,  that  the  desire  to  please 
that  friend  may  become  more  animating  than  the  de- 
sire for  any  personal  gratification.  Should  such  a 
friend  be  deeply  interested  in  the  happiness  of  his 
children,  or  of  any  other  persons,  whose  character  and 
conduct  may  in  no  way  please  us,  still  the  desire  to 
gratify  such  a  friend  may  lead  to  good  willing  to 
those  whom  he  loves,  for  his  sake,  in  order  to  please 
and  gratify  him. 

Thus  it  is  that  love  to  parents  tends  to  produce 
"  peace  and  good  will"  among  children,  who,  in  their 


AND    LOVE    TO    MAN.  155 

little  broils,  are  restrained  by  tbe  desire  to  please  tbeir 
parents,  when  love  to  eacli  otber  fails. 

Here  we  have  a  view  of  the  importance  of  right  con- 
ceptions of  God's  character,  in  order  to  secure  the  per- 
fect action  of  finite  minds,  especially  in  the  first  stage 
of  existence. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  rules  of  right  action  are 
to  be  gained,  in  many  cases,  only  by  long  experience 
and  by  a  course  of  reasoning.  Often,  too,  general  rules 
(such,  for  example,  as  that  we  are  never  to  lie^  even  to 
save  life,  or  for  any  reason,)  must  be  obeyed  when  a 
person  can  see  immediate  evil,  and  no  good  to  self  or 
to  any  one  by  obedience.  Now  it  is  impossible  for  a 
rational  mind  to  choose  pure  evil.  There  must  be  some 
good  in  an  object  to  excite  desire,  or  it  is  impossible  to 
choose  it.  But  pleasurable  emotions  toward  an  all- wise 
Creator,  whose  benevolence  and  wisdom  excite  love, 
delight,  and  confidence,  may  be  such  that  to  please  him 
gives  abundant  motive  to  obey  the  rules  of  right  he 
enjoins  when  no  other  good  can  be  perceived  except 
that  obedience  will  please  him.  And  the  more  we 
perceive  in  him  that  excites  admiration,  love,  and 
gratitude,  the  more  strength  of  motive  is  gained. 

It  has  been  shown  that  a  choice  or  act  is  virtuous 
in  all  relations,  when  it  absolutely  is  best  for  all,  and 
when  it  is  done  in  reference  to  a  rule  of  rectitude,  or 
because  it  is  right.  The  motive  or  reason  of  a  choice 
decides  whether  or  not  it  is  virtuous. 

ISTow  as  the  Creator's  will  and  the  rules  of  rectitude 
are  the  same,  when  we  say  that  any  act,  in  order  to 
be  virtuous,  must  have  reference  to  God's  will,  the 
question  comes  up,  is  an  act  virtuous  because  it  pleases 
Gody  or  does  it  please  God  because  it  is  virtuous?  i.  e.. 


156  LOVE    TO    GOD, 

because  it  conforms  to  those  rules  by  wHch  Lis  chief 
end  in  creation  is  secured,  and  which  rest  on  the  eter- 
nal nature  of  things. 

The  last  is  the  principle  here  assumed.  God's  great 
end  is  the  highest  happiness  of  his  creatures.  Obedi- 
ence to  his  laws  is  the  mode  for  securing  this  end ;  his 
own  actions  are  right  as  they  conform  to  this  end; 
and  the  actions  of  all  his  creatures  are  right  only  in 
the  same  relation. 

So  God's  "  glory"  consists  in  the  highest  happiness 
of  his  creatures,  which  can  only  be  secured  by  their 
obedience  to  his  laws. 

This  makes  it  clear  that  choosing  as  our  chief  end 
to  obey  all  the  physical,  social,  and  moral  laws  of  God, 
as  learned  by  experience,  is  the  same  as  loving  God 
with  all  the  heart,  and  our  neighbor  as  ourselves.  It 
is  also  living  for  God's  glory  as  the  chief  end ;  and 
it  is  being  a  truly  righteous,  virtuous,  and  pious  man. 

This  distinction  between  voluntary  and  involuntary 
love  enables  us  to  discover  certain  dangers  that  result 
for  want  of  such  discrimination.  Men  may  con- 
ceive of  the  Creator  as  desiring  to  be  loved,  admired, 
and  glorified,  just  as  selfish  conquerors,  like  Alex- 
ander and  Napoleon  have  done.  In  this  view  all 
their  aims  would  be  to  excite  agreeable  emotions  to- 
ward God  by  the  contemplation  of  his  various  attri- 
butes. And  thus  they  might  be  so  absorbed  in  the 
indulgence  of  such  delightful  emotions  as  to  become 
entirely  heedless  of  the  wants  and  the  wishes  of  those 
around  them.  This  kind  of  experience  would  culti- 
vate selfishness  instead  of  benevolence. 

On  the  contrary,  choosing  to  obey  all  God's  laws 
for  happiness-making  on  the  largest  scale,  and  viewing 


AND    LOVE    TO    MAN.  157 

the  lovely  and  glorious  attributes  of  the  Creator  as 
means  to  this  end,  would  induce  the  only  true  virtue, 
while  it  is  the  true  mode  of  pleasing  our  Maker  and 
increasing  his  enjoyment. 

The  preceding  furnishes  the  mode  of  harmonizing 
a  great  variety  of  expressions  that  may  properly  be 
given  in  answer  to  the  great  question,  "  what  must  we 
do  to  be  saved?"  as  we  gain  this  answer  independently 
of  revelation. 

The  first  answer  is,  "believe  in  God's  teachings — or 
have  faith  in  God."  This  means,  take  the  laws  of 
God  as  revealed  by  reason  and  experience,  and  obey 
them,  and  you  shall  be  saved.  It  is  a  practical  and 
not  a  mere  intellectual  belief  that  constitutes  this 
*'  saving  faith." 

The  next  answer  is,  "repent,"  or  "repentance  to- 
ward God." 

The  word  repent  is  used  to  signify,  sometimes,  sim- 
ply remorse  or  pain  for  wrong-doing.  In  another 
sense  it  signifies  that  sorrow  for  wrong-doing  which 
includes  reformation.  It  is  ceasing  to  disobey  law  and 
commencing  a  life  of  obedience.  It  is  in  this  sense 
that  men  are  saved  by  repentance. 

Another  answer  is,  *'  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself." 
This  has  been  shown  to  signify,  thou  shalt  choose  as 
the  chief  end  of  life  to  make  happiness  the  right  way, 
that  is,  by  obeying  all  the  physical,  social,  and  moral 
laws  of  God.  "  This  is  the  love  of  God,  that  we  keep 
his  commandments." 

Another  answer  is,  "  make  it  thy  chief  end  to  glo- 
rify God."  Inasmuch  as  God's  glory  consists  in  the 
exhibition  of  his  character  as  a  benevolent  being,  all 


158  LOVE    TO    GOD. 

who  promote  his  chief  aim  by  making  happiness  ac- 
cording to  his  will,  are  living  to  glorify  God. 

Another  answer  is,  "live  a  truly  virtuous  life."  It 
has  been  shown  that  true  virtue  consists  in  obedience  to 
the  great  law  of  sacrifice  by  which  the  lesser  personal 
good  is  sacrificed  to  the  greater  good  of  all  concerned. 

Thus  faith,  repentance,  love  to  God  and  man,  mak- 
ing it  our  chief  end  to  glorify  God,  living  a  virtuous 
life,  all  signify  one  and  the  same  thing,  (^.  e^)  choosing 
to  find  out  and  to  obey  all  the  physical,  social,  and 
moral  laws  of  God  as  our  chief  end  or  ruling  pur- 
pose. 

The  righteous  are  those  who  have  formed  such  a 
purpose,  and  who  exhibit  its  results  in  their  daily  life. 

The  imched  are  those  who  have  not  formed  such  a 
purpose,  and  do  not  exhibit  it  in  their  daily  life. 

In  the  common  language  of  every-day  life,  when  a 
person  is  intensely  interested  in  any  pursuit,  it  is  said 
to  be  "his  life."  And  when  a  man  changes  from  a 
vicious  to  a  virtuous  course  he  is  said  to  "begin  a  new 
life." 

Thus  it  would  be  in  agreement  with  the  ordinary 
use  of  language  to  call  a  new-formed  purpose  to  obey 
all  the  laws  of  God  the  commencement  of  a  new  life. 
And  as  the  beginning  of  natural  life  is  the  commence- 
ment of  a  life  of  impulsive  choices  unregulated  hy  law, 
the  commencement  of  a  life  of  obedience  to  law  would, 
by  a  figure  of  speech,  very  naturally  be  called  "a  new 
birth." 

We  have  seen,  in  previous  pages,  that  the  formation 
of  a  ruling  principle  or  governing  purpose  is  sometimes 
the  result  of  a  slow  process  of  educational  influences, 
and  sometimes  it  is  a  marked  and  sudden  change.     In 


INCKEASED    CIVILIZATION,    ETC.      159 

the  history  of  mind  we  find,  as  a  general  rule,  that  it 
is  the  slow  process  of  educational  training  that  secures 
a  virtuous  character  in  childhood,  while  the  more  sud- 
den and  marked  changes  are  incident  chiefly  to  more 
advanced  life. 

The  term  ^^  regeneratM''  is  used  by  theologians  as 
meaning  the  formation  of  a  ruling  purpose  to  love  and 
obey  God,  by  man  himself.  By  some,  this  change  of 
mind  is  regarded  as  in  all  cases  instantaneous,  by 
others  as  sometimes  a  gradual  and  sometimes  an  in- 
stantaneous change. 

The  preceding  still  farther  exhibits  the  fact  that  the 
whole  foundation  of  religion  and  of  morals  rests  on 
the  answer  to  the  question,  what  is  true  virtue  or  right 
voluntary  action  ? 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

INCREASED    CIVILIZATION    INCREASES    MORAL    DIFFI- 
CULTIES. 

From  the  preceding  it  appears  that  the  more  our 
race  advances  in  civilization,  the  more  numerous  and 
complicated  are  the  laws  of  Grod  which  must  first  be 
discovered  and  then  obeyed. 

By  advance  in  civilization  is  signified  increase  in 
the  capacities  of  the  human  mind  for  varied  enjoy- 
ments, and  increase  in  the  appropriate  supply  of  these 
capacities.  The  early  history  of  the  race  resembles 
the  early  period  of  individual  life,  when  the  chief  en- 
joyments are  those  of  the  senses.  The  refined  and 
varied  pleasures  of  taste  are  but  little  attained  except 


160  INCREASED    CIVILIZATION 

by  cultivation.  So  also  the  higher  pleasures  of  the 
intellect  and  of  the  moral  nature  are  dependent  on 
culture. 

As  every  new  avenue  to  enjoyment  is  opened,  and 
every  new  capacity  developed,  there  are  inevitably 
resulting  difficulties  and  temptations  which,  experience 
soon  shows,  must  be  regulated  by  laws  and  penalties. 
From  this  results  the  endless  multitude  of  civil  and 
statute  laws,  in  addition  to  the  various  domestic  and 
social  rules  enforced  in  the  family,  the  school  and  the 
neighborhood. 

All  these  laws  and  rules  will  be  found  to  be  only 
specific  applications  of  the  great  law  of  sacrifice  which 
demands  that,  in  all  cases,  every  mind  shall  choose 
what  is  best  for  self  and  best  for  the  whole.  The 
great  democratic  principle  that  the  majority  shall  rule 
is  but  one  mode  of  applying  this  general  law  of  sacri- 
fice. 

In  this  aspect  we  can  perceive  how  it  is,  that  every 
attempt  to  develop  any  faculty  of  enjoyment  in  any 
created  mind,  and  every  effort  to  provide  aliment  for 
such  developed  capacities  is  right,  as  in  agreement  with 
the  grand  end  designed  by  the  Creator ;  provided  it  is 
done  according  to  the  great  law  of  sacrifice  disclosed 
by  reason,  viz.,  that  individual  enjoyment  be  made 
subordinate  to  the  general  good,  and  that  no  greater 
good  be  sacrificed  for  a  less,  either  for  self  or  for  the 
commonwealth. 

In  this  light,  music,  drawing,  painting,  sculpture, 
architecture,  the  drama,  poetry,  laughter,  all  things 
that  impart  enjoyment  to  any  mind  are  rigld^  provided 
no  higher  good  is  sacrificed  in  enjoying  them,  Nay, 
more ;  aU  these  modes  of  imparting  enjoyment  may 


INCREASES    MORAL    DIFFICULTIES.      161 

become  positive  duties,  in  cases  where  they  do  not  in- 
terfere with  some  higher  good. 

This  view  of  the  subject  still  further  illustrates  the 
nature  of  that  inability  which  exists  in  all  finite  minds 
in  discovering  and  obeying  the  laws  of  God. 

There  are  only  two  conceivable  modes  by  which  we 
can  learn  these  laws ;  one  is  by  the  experience  of  finite 
beings ;  the  other  is  by  revelation  from  the  Creator. 
To  learn  what  is  right  and  wrong  by  experience  in- 
volves not  only  the  certainty,  but  the  necessity,  as  it 
respects  the  absolute  right,  of  wrong-doing ;  for  no 
one,  however  right  the  motive  or  intention  may  be, 
can  discover  what  will  cause  more  or  less  good  or  evil 
but  by  experiments  in  which  the  evil  as  well  as  the 
good  is  detected  by  experience. 

To  learn  what  is  right  and  wrong  in  all  the  thou- 
sand and  million  complications  of  life  by  revelation, 
would  involve  the  necessity  of  a  direct  revelation 
every  hour  of  every  day,  to  every  individual  of  the 
race.  But  the  only  conceivable  mode  by  which  reve- 
lations from  God  are  possible,  is  by  miracles  and  proph- 
ecy, which  are  interruptions  of  the  ordinary  uniformity 
of  nature.  It  is  the  fact  that  the  laws  of  nature  are 
uniform  that  alone  makes  miracles  possible,  so  that 
incessant  revelations  by  miracles  would  destroy  such 
uniformity,  and  thus  destroy  the  only  conceivable 
mode  of  communication  from  the  Creator. 

This  being  so,  the  only  possible  method  by  which 
mankind  can  discover  what  is  right  and  wrong  in  the 
greater  portion  of  their  actions  is  by  an  experience  in- 
volving, more  or  less,  wrong-doing  as  a  part. 

There  are  general  rules  of  right  and  wrong  which 
can  be  communicated  both  by  God  and  man,  but  these 


162         INCREASED    CIVILIZATION,    ETC. 

rules  are  to  be  applied  bj  men  to  tlie  numberless  and 
ever- varying  circumstances  of  life,  involving  still  tbe 
same  necessity  of  experience  of  evil  in  order  to  detect 
tbe  relative  amount  of  good  to  be  gained  in  the  varied 
courses  offered  -  for  pursuit  to  wbicb  tbese  rules  are  to 
be  applied. 

Now  the  grand  difficulty,  as  it  respects  both  God 
and  man,  as  before  shown,  is  the  positive  inability  of 
undeveloped  mind  to  understand  much  of  what  is 
right  and  wrong.  This  difficulty  meets  the  mature 
mind  as  really  as  it  does  the  infant's  ;  for  while  many 
of  the  general  rules  evolved  by  reason  and  experience 
are  clear,  and  easily  perceived,  there  are  endless  va- 
rieties of  cases  in  which  the  application  of  these  rules 
is  a  matter  of  uncertainty.  For  example,  that  men 
are  to  be  honest  and  speak  the  truth,  are  rules  n-^iver- 
sally  appreciated.  But  then  come  the  questions  whether 
this  and  that  thing  is  honest,  or  whether  in  this  or  that 
emergency  it  may  not  be  right  to  say  what  is  false. 
The  higher  men  advance  in  civilization,  and  the  more 
means  and  modes  of  enjoyment  are  discovered,  the 
more  complicated  become  the  questions  of  right,  and 
the  more  frequent  the  temptations  to  wrong. 

All  that  can  be  done  is  to  cultivate  the  conscience 
and  train  the  reasoning  powers  of  mankind,  so  that  by 
means  of  the  experience  of  life,  as  developed  by  individ- 
uals and  communities,  regard  to  the  rules  of  right  and 
wrong  shall  keep  pace  with  the  increasing  civilization. 

With  these  distinctions  in  the  mind,  we  can  perceive 
that  5m,  in  its  widest  sense,  including  transgression  of 
unknown  law,  is  inevitable  in  a  perfect  system  of  finite 
minds,  while  in  the  limited  sense,  as  trangression  of 
known  law,  it  is  not  so, 


HUMILITY    AND    MEEKNESS.  163 

So  also  we  can  see,  that  without  the  intervention  of 
the  Creator  to  teach  ua,  it  is  an  impossibility  for  any 
human  being  to  live  without  sin  ;  also  that  this  inter- 
vention is  impossible  except  to  a  limited  extent,  with- 
out an  entire  change  in  the  eternal  nature  of  things  to 
which  God's  own  will  is  conformed. 


CHAPTEK    XXYI. 

HUMILITY    AND    MEEKNESS. 

We  have  seen  that  we  can  learn  what  is  right  and 
wrong  only  by  aid  received  from  the  experience  of 
our  fellow-beings  around  us. 

But  in  order  to  this,  there  are  certain  virtues 
which  are  both  dif&cult  and  indispensable.  In  study- 
ing the  history  of  mind,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  higher 
the  grade  of  intellect  and  the  greater  its  culture,  the 
stronger  is  the  love  of  intellectual  supremacy  and  the 
more  energetic  the  pride  of  opinion.  It  is  a  fact  which 
none  will  dispute,  that,  as  the  general  rule,  having  some 
exceptions,  the  class  of  minds  most  highly  endowed  by 
native  talent  and  acquired  culture,  are  most  unwilling 
to  take  the  attitude  of  learners  toward  their  associates, 
and  still  more  toward  their  inferiors  in  these  en- 
dowments. When  this  pride  of  intellect  and  of  opin- 
ion is  combined  with  benevolence  of  disposition  and 
with  sensitiveness  of  conscience,  there  is  nothing-  more 
difficult  than  to  "  become  as  a  little  child"  in  learning 
truth  and  duty.  For  the  more  benevolence  and  con- 
scientiousness, the  greater  the  unwillingness  to  be  put 
in  the  wrong. 


164  HUMILITY    AND    MEEKNESS. 

And  yet,  in  the  smallest  sphere  of  life,  between 
every  individual  and  his  neighbors,  thousands  of 
questions  of  right  and  wrong  turn  on  how  our  words 
and  actions  will  affect  the  happiness  of  those  around ; 
and  there  is  no  possibility  of  settling  such  questions 
but  by  leaving  every  person  at  liberty  to  communi- 
cate freely  what  does,  or  does  not,  give  them  pain  or 
pleasure,  and  thus  teach  others  how  to  make  happiness 
and  save  from  pain.  In  order  to  this,  it  is  indispens- 
able that  every  one  be  made  to  understand  that  our 
chief  aim  is  to  make  happiness  the  best  and  right  way, 
and  that  for  this  end  we  wish  to  have  a  perfectly  free 
expression  of  wishes  and  opinions.  For  if  it  is  per- 
ceived that  irritability  and  alienation  result  from  such 
a  course,  all  those  around  us  will  conceal  their  feelings 
and  opinions,  and  thus,  for  want  of  a  true  knowledge 
of  circumstances,  we  shall  "  walk  in  darkness,"  be- 
cause we  are  not  willing  to  be  told  the  truths  that  put 
us  in  the  wrong  or  expose  our  mistakes. 

The  same  free  expression  of  opinion  and  protest 
against  all  wrong,  are  as  indispensable  to  the  discovery 
of  those  rules  of  right  and  wrong,  that  are  to  be  evolved 
from  the  general  experience.  Every  man,  woman  and 
child  in  the  commonwealth,  should  be  perfectly  free 
to  set  forth  their  opinions,  experience,  and  reason- 
ing, for  the  purpose  of  finding  out  what  is  best  for 
the  whole.  Nor  should  they  be  withheld  by  the  fear 
that  such  a  course  would  place  a  parent,  a  brother,  a 
friend,  or  a  party  in  the  wrong,  and  expose  those 
dearest  to  us  to  blame.  For  the  true  happiness  of 
each  and  all  is  to  be  secured  by  a  knowledge  of 
the  truth,  and  often  such  knowledge  can  be  gained 
only  by  exposing  the  evil  results  of  courses  that  are 


J 


HUMILITY    AND    MEEKNESS.  165 

pursued  by  the  best  and  most  conscientious  per- 
sons. 

In  carrying  out  tbis  principle,  tbere  must  be  discre- 
tion exercised  as  to  time  and  manner  of  performing  tbe 
duty ;  and  tbere  are  some  limitations  to  be  recognized, 
wbicb  are  matters  of  expediency.  For  example,  a  man 
must  seek  tbe  best  time  to  expose  what  is  wrong,  and 
be  must  seek  to  do  it  in  a  manner  tbat  will  secure  tbe 
good  aimed  at  witb  tbe  least  possible  evil.  And  if  it 
can  be  done  better  by  tbe  agency  of  another,  tbe  aid 
of  tbat  other  should  be  invoked. 

So  in  regard  to  limitations,  what  is  strictly  personal 
should  be  confined  to  the  party  who  alone  is  con- 
cerned. What  relates  solely  to  the  family  concerns 
should  be  confined  to  the  family.  Nor  should  any 
wrongs  or  dissensions  be  brought  before  the  public  ex- 
cept those  in  which  the  public  welfare  is  involved. 

But  with  these  limitations  it  is  the  demand  of  rea- 
son and  common  sense,  that  every  man,  woman  and 
child  freely  protest  against  all  that  they  believe  to  be 
wrong  in  opinion  or  conduct. 

In  taking  such  a  course,  every  man's  success  in  dis- 
covering and  propagating  the  truth  will  depend  very 
much  on  the  spirit  with  which  it  is  attempted.  If  it 
is  done  in  a  self-sufficient,  dictatorial,  and  denuncia- 
tory mode,  the  inevitable  result  will  be  to  arouse  those 
passions  and  prejudices  which  are  most  effectual  in 
blinding  the  mind  in  discovering  truth. 

If,  on  the  contrary,  it  is  attempted  with  the  humil- 
ity, meekness  and  benevolence  which  are  befitting 
ignorant,  fallible  and  short-sighted  beings,  encom- 
passed with  such  appalling  difficulties  and  dangers, 
the  most  favorable  of  all  influences  will  be  exerted  to 
secure  a  patient  and  candid  attention. 


166  HUMILITY    AND    MEEKNESS. 

Still,  SO  sensitive  are  men  to  all  implications  of  their 
motives  or  conduct,  so  unwilling  are  thej  to  acknowl- 
edge themselves  mistaken,  that  the  faithful  discharge 
of  the  duty  of  protesting  against  wrong,  will  always 
be  attended  with  more  or  less  of  ill-will  and  bad 
passions. 

In  view  of  the  above,  if  we  were  to  predict  what 
would  be  the  j^rs^  preliminary  teaching  of  a  messenger 
from  the  Creator  imparting  to  us  the  true  way  of 
happiness-making,  we  should  say,  reasoning  from  the 
experience  of  life,  it  would  read  thus  : 

"  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit ;"  that  is,  those  who 
feel  their  poverty  of  mind  as  to  the  knowledge  re- 
quired for  right  action. 

"  Blessed  are  they  that  mourn  ;"  that  is,  those  who 
are  troubled  by  this  want. 

"Blessed  are  the  meek  f*  that  is,  those  that  can 
quietly  and  patiently  bear  reproof  and  fault-finding. 

"  Blessed  are  they  which  do  hunger  and  thirst  af- 
ter righteousness ;"  that  is,  those  who  are  as  earnest 
to  find  the  right  way  of  happiness-making  as  the 
hungry  and  thirsty  are  for  food  and  drink. 

"  Blessed  are  the  happiness-malcers,'''"^ 

"  Blessed  are  they  which  are  persecuted  for  right- 
eousness' sake;"  that  is,  those  who  are  willing  to 
suffer  for  the  right. 


*  In  the  Greek,  the  word  in  the  New  Testament  translated  "peace- 
makers," is  more  correctlj  rendered  "  happiness-makers." 


THE    STANDARD    OF    R 


CHAPTER   XXYII. 

THE  STANDARD  OF  RIGHT   AND  WRONG    DECIDED    BY 
THE    RISKS    OF    ETERNITY. 

It  has  been  shown,  that  the  more  the  capacities  of 
men  are  cultivated,  and  the  sources  of  enjoyment  mul- 
tiphed,  the  more  comphcated  become  the  varying  ques- 
tions as  to  right  and  wrong  moral  action,  and  the  more 
our  reasoning  powers  and  our  conscience  need  to  be 
cultivated  in  order  to  decide  correctly. 

Just  as  fast  as  men  increase  in  the  number  and  ex- 
tent of  the  capacities  and  resources  of  enjoyment,  will 
questions  of  right  and  wrong  multiply,  and  rules  be 
evolved,  every  one  of  which  will  rest  on  the  grand 
law  of  sacrifice^  which  demands  of  every  individual 
that  he  shall  give  up  private  feehngs  and  choose  what 
is  best  for  all  concerned. 

These  difficulties  and  complications  are  still  more 
increased,  if  we  are  to  take  into  account  an  immortal 
existence,  and  the  influence  which  conduct  and  char- 
acter in  this  life  may  have  on  a  future  eternity.  What 
is  best  for  each  individual,  and  what  is  best  for  the 
commonwealth  in  such  vast  relations,  involve  ques- 
tions far  beyond  the  reach  of  human  capacities,  which 
only  infinite  wisdom  can  answer. 

In  all  questions  of  right  and  wrong,  for  individual 
and  for  pubhc  interests,  the  degree  of  danger  and  risk 
involved,  always  is  the  ruling  consideration.  The 
greater  the  danger  of  the  commonwealth,  or  of  the 
individual,  the  greater  are  the  demands  for  sacrifices 


168  THE    STANDARD    OF 

on  the  part  of  all  concerned.  What  would  be  right 
in  circumstances  of  ease  and  safety,  becomes  the  height 
of  selfishness  and  crime  in  hours  of  peril  and  suffer- 
ing. 

To  illustrate  this  point  on  a  humble  scale,  let  it  be 
supposed  that  a  vast  and  dangerous  morass  is  filled 
with  a  multitude  of  travelers,  of  all  ages  and  all  de- 
grees of  intelligence,  who  can  press  through  it  to  their 
homes  only  by  difficult,  dark,  and  circuitous  paths. 
In  addition  to  its  morasses,  pit-falls,  swamps  and  fens, 
each  path  is  beset  with  venomous  reptiles,  and  its 
woods  with  ferocious  beasts,  while  it  is  the  young  and 
tender  who  are  the  special  objects  of  pursuit  to  these 
terrific  foes.  In  such  a  community,  and  amid  such 
dangers,  all  decisions  of  right  and  wrong,  as  to  what 
was  owed  to  others  or  to  one's  self,  would  be  entirely 
diverse  from  what  would  be  demanded  were  all  in 
their  safe  homes.  Sleepless  nights,  constant  watching, 
painful  toils,  incessant  vigilance,  would  be  the  impe- 
rious duty  of  every  one,  who  could  render  any  service. 
Amusements  and  sports,  that  in  other  circumstances 
would  be  wise  and  right,  would  be  allowed  only  just 
so  far  as  they  tended  to  give  relaxation  or  repose  of 
mind  and  body  to  those  who  needed  them,  and  only 
for  the  great  end  of  securing  a  safe  and  speedy  escape 
to  all. 

Now  suppose  that,  in  these  circumstances,  some  of 
the  wanderers  are  taught  that  there  were  no  such 
dangers,  that  the  paths  were  all  safe  and  certain,  and 
that  every  one  of  them  would  sooner  or  later  arrive 
safely  at  home. 

Others  are  taught  that  there  probably  is  some  dan- 
ger and  some  doubt  as  to  the  amount  of  risks,  yet  as 


RIGHT    AND    WRONG.  169 

no  one  knows  mucli  about  tlie  matter,  on  any  alterna- 
tive, it  is  very  wise  to  be  careful  and  prudent. 

Another  class  are  taught  that  all  these  terrific  dan- 
gers do  exist ;  nay  more,  that  it  is  certain  that  some 
are  to  be  lost  in  pit-falls,  some  torn  with  wild  beasts, 
some  poisoned  to  death  with  venomous  reptiles,  and 
some  for  ever  lost  in  bleak  and  cold  morasses. 

Meantime,  who  should  be  the  lost  and  who  the 
saved,  and  the  number  of  the  lost,  would  be  entirely 
dependent  on  the  care,  vigilance,  labors  and  sacrifices 
endured  by  each,  not  only  for  self,  but  for  others. 

It  can  easily  be  seen,  that  in  these  three  classes 
there  must  be  an  entirely  different  standard  for  decid- 
ing all  questions  of  right  and  wrong.  What  would 
be  right  and  wJte,  in  case  there  is  little  or  no  danger, 
would  be  folly  and  crime  amid  such  terrific  perils.  In 
one  case,  each  would  have  little  concern  or  responsi- 
bility for  any  but  self;  in  another  case,  all  benevolent 
minds  would  be  overwhelmed  with  anxiety  for  others 
as  well  as  for  themselves. 

This  being  so,  it  is  claimed  that  the  deductions  of 
reason  as  to  the  future  immortality  of  man,  and  his 
risks  and  dangers  beyond  the  grave,  are  indispensable 
to  deciding  multitudes  of  moral  questions  of  the  high- 
est moment,  while  every  person's  standard  of  morality 
must  be  regulated  by  their  decision  of  this  question. 

8 


170  THE    DESTINY    OF    MAN 


CHAPTEE    XXYIII. 

THE  DESTESTY  OF  MAN  IN  THE  FUTURE  LIFE. 

It  has  been  shown,  that  the  teachings  of  reason  as 
to  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  our  risks  and  dan- 
gers after  death,  are  indispensable  to  a  true  standard 
of  morality,  and  to  the  decision  of  innumerable  moral 
questions  of  the  highest  moment. 

The  next  attempt,  therefore,  will  be  to  set  forth 
what  can  be  learned  by  reason  and  experience,  inde- 
pendently of  revelation,  in  regard  to  the  future  des- 
tiny of  man.  '^ 

The  first  question  relates  to  the  existence  of  the  soul 
after  death,  and  its  immortality.  Here  we  have  to 
guide  us  that  great  principle  of  common  sense,  which 
regulates  mankind  in  all  the  practical  business  of  life, 
viz.,  things  are^  and  will  continue  according  to  past  ex- 
'periencey  until  there  is  evidence  of  a  change. 

By  the  aid  of  this,  we  go  forward  in  all  practical 
affairs,  believing  that  the  beings  and  things  around  us 
are  continued  in  existence  till  we  have  evidence  that 
they  are  not.  If  any  man  were  to  talk  and  act  as  if 
every  person  was  destroyed,  and  every  town  and  vil- 
lage annihilated,  as  soon  as  the  evidence  of  his  senses 
failed,  he  would  be  deemed  one  who  had  "  lost  his 
reason." 

This  same  principle  tends  to  the  belief  that  the  soul 
of  man  continues  to  exist  after  the  dissolution  of  the 
body.  "We  have  no  evidence  that  the  separation  of 
soul  and  body  is  an  event  that  either  injures  or  de- 


IN    THE    FUTURE    LIFE.  171 

strojs  the  spiritual  part.  On  the  contrary,  there  are 
many  analogies  in  nature  that  would  lead  to  the  im- 
pression that  death  gives  new  strength  and  powers  to 
the  disembodied  spint. 

This  being  so,  we  have  the  same  reason  to  believe 
that  the  soul  of  man  exists  after  death  as  we  have  for 
believing  that  our  friends  are  living  when  they  leave 
us  on  a  journey,  and  we  have  no  evidence  of  their 
death.  We  can  not  see  them,  hear  them,  or  feel  them, 
and  yet  we  believe  they  are  living,  we  know  not  ex- 
actly where,  because  we  have  no  evidence  of  their 
death.  And  so,  after  the  dissolution  of  the  body, 
though  all  evidence  of  sense  as  to  the  existence  of 
their  immaterial  part  ceases,  we  believe  the  same  think- 
ing, sentient  spirits  continue  to  exist,  because  we  have 
no  evidence  that  they  have  ceased  to  do  so. 

"We  have  perfect  evidence  that  the  body  ceases  to 
exist  as  a  body,  for  it  moulders  to  dust.  We  have  no 
evidence  at  all  that  the  soul  is  either  injured  or  de- 
stroyed. Such  a  thing  as  the  destruction  or  annihila- 
tion of  a  spirit  was  never  known  or  heard  of  from  any 
quarter  of  earth  or  heaven. 

We  therefore  conclude,  that  at  the  moment  of  death 
the  soul  is  still  existing  with  all  its  powers  unchanged. 

The  same  argument  goes  on  still  further,  and  leads 
to  the  immortality  of  the  soul.  We  know  of  no  cause 
or  reason  for  the  destruction  of  the  soul  at  any  future 
period.  We  never  have  known  or  heard  that  any 
soul  ever  ceased  to  exist.  And  so  we  infer,  that  the 
soul  win  keep  on  a  perpetuated  existence,  by  the  same 
principle  as  that  which  leads  us  to  believe  the  earth 
and  the  heavens  will  remain  to  future  ages. 

In  regard  to  the  character  and  condition  of  departed 


172  THE    DESTINY   OF    MAN 

spirits,  again  we  have  the  same  principle  to  guide  ns. 
Without  revelation,  the  past  experience  of  mind  is  our 
sole  beacon  to  give  light  as  to  its  future  destiny. 

Our  next  inquiry,  then,  is,  what  does  the  past  ex- 
perience of  mind  teach  us  as  to  its  condition  beyond 
the  grave  ?  In  pursuing  this  inquiry,  we  must  recall, 
in  brief  forms,  some  of  the  points  of  mental  experience 
set  forth  in  previous  chapters. 

Some  of  the  most  important  of  these  relate  to  the 
principle  of  hahit  by  which  the  exercise  of  all  our  fac- 
ulties becomes  more  and  more  easy  by  use.  This  is 
true  of  the  intellect,  by  which  we  gain  our  knowl- 
edge of  what  will  secure  the  most  happiness ;  of  the 
social  nature,  by  which  we  give  happiness  to  other 
minds  and  receive  the  same  from  them  ;  of  our  moral 
nature,  by  which  we  are  guided  to  justice,  equity,  and 
the  rule  of  conscience ;  of  our  voluntary  nature,  by 
which  we  regulate  all  our  other  powers.  Each  and 
all  are  developed,  strengthened,  and  facilitated  in  right 
action,  by  being  exercised  according  to  the  laws  of 
God. 

The  legitimate  use  of  all  our  faculties  induces  also 
not  only  increased  facility,  but  increased  enjoyment. 
The  more  the  intellect  is  trained,  the  more  agreeable 
i\s  exercise.  The  more  our  social  nature  is  developed 
by  use,  the  more  its  powers  are  developed  and  its 
blessed  influence  increased.  The  more  our  moral  na- 
ture is  exercised,  the  more  vigorous  becomes  our  sense 
of  justice  and  the  sensibilities  of  conscience,  and  the 
more  pleasing  their  exercise.  And  the  more  the  will 
is  exercised  in  controlling  every  other  faculty  by  the 
rules  of  rectitude,  the  more  easy  and  delightful  is  this 
power  of  self-control. 


IN  THE    FUTURE    LIFE.  173 

The  influence  of  habit  in  regard  to  tlie  great  law  of 
sacrifice  for  the  test  good  of  all,  is  especially  to  be  re- 
garded. Such  is  its  power  that,  in  many  cases,  self- 
sacrifices  that  at  first  were  annoying,  or  even  painful, 
become  sources  of  the  highest  and  noblest  enjoy- 
ment. 

Another  not  less  important  influence  of  habit  is,  in 
regard  to  those  modes  of  enjoyment  which  are  most 
important  to  the  commonwealth,  and  most  happifying. 
The  pursuit  of  these  increases  both  desire  and  capacity 
for  gratification,  while  those  less  important  and  more 
dangerous,  if  made  the  leading  object  of  pursuit,  dimin- 
ish capacity  while  desire  is  increased.  Thus  the  happi- 
ness gained  in  giving  and  receiving  affection,  in  caus- 
ing happiness  to  others,  and  in  rectitude  of  action,  all 
increase  both  the  desire  and  the  capacity  for  these 
important  and  elevated  modes  of  enjoyments.  Nor 
is  there  any  danger  of  excess  in  forming  habits  in 
these  directions.  But  the  pleasures  of  the  senses  and 
the  pursuit  of  power,  honor,  and  other  enjoyments 
that  terminate  in  self,  are  liable  to  excess,  and  this 
excess  diminishes  the  capacity  for  enjoyment,  while 
the  ceaseless  craving  of  desire  remains. 

Thus  it  appears  that  a  mind  that  forms  habits  of 
happiness-making  according  to  right  rules,  becomes 
more  and  more  strongly  drawn  to  that  course  by  find- 
ing more  and  more  enjoyment  in  it,  while  a  mind  that 
pursues  as  a  chief  end  the  enjoyments  that  terminate 
in  self,  constantly  loses  capacity  for  such  good,  and 
yet  the  desire  for  it  drives  on  to  vain  and  cheerless 
efforts. 

Another  ominous  fact  in  our  mental  nature  is,  the 
effect  of  habit  in  diminishing  the  control  of  the  volun- 


174  THE    DESTINY    OF    MAN 

tar  J  power.  When  any  excessive  or  illegitimate  mode 
of  exercising  tlae  faculties  becomes  a  ruling  passion, 
the  change  of  a  habit  thus  formed  becomes  more  and 
more  difficult  in  exact  proportion  to  the  continuous 
repetition.  Even  when  men  see  and  feel  that  a  habit 
is  formed  that  increases  their  sorrow  and  diminisbes 
tbeir  enjoyment,  and  that  another  course  would  ren- 
der them  every  way  nobler  and  happier,  they  find 
their  purposes  of  change  often  are  powerless.  The 
control  of  the  will  continually  yields  to  the  force  of 
habit,  and  so  they  are  hopelessly  driven  on  in  their 
fatal  pursuits. 

Again,  the  effect  of  wrong  action  on  the  suscepti- 
bilities is  as  ominous  as  it  is  on  the  power  of  choice. 
We  bave  seen  that  the  design  of  painful  emotions  is 
to  stimulate  to  tbe  formation  of  good  habits,  and  that 
when  this  legitimate  object  is  not  effected  these  emo- 
tions continually  decrease  in  strength  and  vividness,  so 
that  the  designed  benefit  is  lost.  Thus /ear  is  designed 
to  induce  habits  of  caution,  but  if  no  such  habits  are  the 
result,  danger  ceases  to  excite  this  emotion,  and  a  man 
becomes  at  once  fearless  and  careless.  So  with  sym- 
pathy in  the  sufferings  of  others ;  if  no  habits  of  be- 
nevolent efforts  to  relieve  are  induced,  that  sensibility 
diminishes,  and  men  become  at  once  unsympathising, 
hard  and  cruel.  So  it  is  with,  shame ;  if  it  does  not 
lead  to  habits  of  honor  and  duty,  the  susceptibility 
continually  diminishes.  And  so  it  is  with,  remorse; 
if  habits  of  rectitude  are  not  induced  by  its  emotions, 
the  conscience  becomes  "  seared  as  with  hot  iron." 

But  the  most  deteriorating  effect  of  wrong  action  is 
seen  in  regard  to  that  fundamental  point  of  the  mental 
constitution  wbicb  makes  it  a '  source  of  happiness  to 


IN    THE    FUTURE    LIFE.  175 

be  the  cause  of  happiness  to  others.  It  is  a  universal 
fact  that  the  tendency  of  disagreeable  emotions  is  to 
lead  to  the  infliction  of  pain  on  others.  This  propen- 
sity to  inflict  pain  on  whoever  is  the  cause  of  pain, 
when  regulated  by  the  rules  of  rectitude,  is  the  source 
of  justice  in  the  family  and  state,  and  leads  only  to 
good.  But  when  it  is  indulged  and  unregulated,  it  is 
the  most  fearful  feature  in  our  mental  constitution. 
The  records  of  history  exhibit  many  monsters  of  our 
race,  whose  mental  constitution  has  become  so  disor- 
dered by  habits  of  fatal  indulgence,  that  aU  love  of 
happiness-making  for  others  seems  destroyed,  and  the 
baleful  pleasure  of  tormenting  becomes  a  ruling  pas- 
sion. 

Another  feature  of  our  mental  conformation  which 
directly  bears  on  this  subject,  is  the  fact,  that  all  those 
good  qualities  and  benevolent  acts  which  naturally 
tend  to  please  and  awaken  the  desire  of  good  to  oth- 
ers, may  become  sources  of  pain  and  ill-will.  This  is 
the  case  when  the  lovely  and  benevolent  traits  of  other 
minds  are  contrasted  with  opposite  traits  in  self.  Thus 
it  is  that  the  selfish,  cruel  and  malignant  hate  and  are 
powerfully  repelled  from  the  generous,  just  and  vir- 
tuous, while  the  good  as  instinctively  fly  from  the 
wicked. 

The  natural  result  of  these  features  in  the  nature  of 
mind,  is  a  continual  tendency  toward  a  separation  of 
the  good  and  the  bad,  the  righteous  and  the  wicked. 

According  to  the  teachings  of  experience,  a  mind 
that  forms  habits  of  selfishness  and  sin  is  constantly 
tending  to  a  deterioration  of  its  nature  in  all  direc- 
tions. And  the  course  of  obedience  to  the  grand  law 
of  self-sacrifice  for  the  best  good  of  all,  becomes  more 


176  THE    DESTINY    OFMAN 

and  more  difficult  and  improbable.  As  the  natural 
result  the  good  are  more  and  more  attracted  toward 
each  other,  and  the  bad  are  more  and  more  repelled. 

These  tendencies,  so  plainly  exhibited  here,  rea- 
soning from  experience,  we  infer  are  to  continue  after 
death,  until  the  final  result  must  be  the  entire  exclu- 
sion of  the  evil  from  the  good,  whenever  power  exists 
to  compel  the  separation.  This  power,  all  must  feel  is 
held  and  will  be  exercised  by  the  Author  of  all  minds, 
whose  great  plan,  so  far  as  reason  teaches,  can  be  car- 
ried to  perfection  only  by  such  a  consummation. 

One  point  in  the  history  of  our  race  has  a  mournful 
pertinence  to  this  question.  "We  find  that  the  improve- 
ment and  the  safety  of  the  great  commonwealth  is  al- 
ways, more  or  less,  promoted  by  the  ruin  of  individu- 
als. Multitudes  are  deterred  from  evil  courses  by  the 
miserable  end  of  those  who  pursue  tliem ;  so  that  the 
good  are  often  preserved  by  the  destruction  of  the 
bad. 

So,  too,  we  find  exhibitions  of  the  fact  that  minds 
are  utterly  ruined,  and  Tmnedfor  ever,  so  far  as  we 
can  perceive.  The  man  who  has  stultified  his  intel- 
lect, ruined  his  health,  seared  his  conscience,  and 
blunted  all  his  generous  and  benevolent  sensibili- 
ties by  a  course  of  debauchery,  cruelty  and  crime, 
is  a  wreck  as  total  and  irretrievable,  so  far  as  we  can 
see,  as  a  watch  whose  springs  and  pivots  are  crushed 
beneath  the  hammer,  or  a  human  body  whose  every 
lineament  is  efiaced  beneath  the  rushing  locomotive 
train. 

The  common  language  of  life  expresses  such  men- 
tal facts  in  precisely  the  same  terms  as  are  applied  to 
physical  catastrophies.     Thus,  a  man  who  is  given 


IN    THE    FUTURE    LIFE.  177 

up  to  debaucliery,  intemperance  and  crime,  is  said  to 
be  a  ''  total  wreck" — "  entirely  destroyed,"—"  utterly 
ruined." 

Add  to  tliis  the  teaching  of  experience,  that  when 
men  are  bad,  the  increase  of  blessings  only  increases 
indulgence  and  crime.  At  the  same  time  punishment 
does  not  tend  to  reformation.  The  more  men  suffer 
for  their  folly  and  guilt,  the  more  hardened  they  be- 
come. The  victims  of  licentiousness  and  intemper- 
ance, though  they  suffer  such  miseries,  have  ever  been 
regarded  as  the  farthest  removed  from  the  probabil- 
ities of  reformation. 

Add  to  all  this,  the  deductions  of  reason  as  to  the 
moral  nature  of  the  Creator  and  Governor  of  aU  minds. 
He  has  power  to  separate  the  good  and  bad ;  his  great 
design,  of  which  we  here  see  only  the  tendencies^  makes 
it  indispensable  to  the  perfect  happiness  of  the  good 
that  they  be  separated  from  the  bad — a  perfectly  hap- 
py commonwealth  can  not  be  attained  where  the  bad 
form  a  part — while  the  sense  of  justice  exists  in  God  on 
a  scale  far  above  ours,  demanding  added  penalties  for 
the  known  and  willful  destruction  of  happiness.  He, 
like  his  children  on  earth,  feels  that  craving  for  retri- 
butive justice,  which  can  never  rest  till  the  guilty  and 
remorseless  monster  receives  the  just  recompense  for 
his  cruelty  and  crimes. 

These  teachings  of  reason  and  experience  lead  to 
the  conclusion,  not  only  that  there  is  to  be  a  grand  con- 
summation in  which  all  sin  and  suffering  shall  be  end- 
ed in  a  perfected  commonwealth,  but  also  to  the  con- 
clusion that  those  excluded  from  this  community  of 
the  good  are  to  continue  their  existence  in  sin  and  its 
natural  results  for  ever. 

8* 


178  THE    HISTORY    OF    MAN 

That  any  portion,  either  of  matter  or  mind,  is  to  be 
annihilated,  can  not  be  inferred  from  any  past  experi- 
ence. All  that  we  can  learn  are  the  laws  of  perpetual 
succession  and  change.  One  single  fact  of  annihilation 
has  never  yet  been  made  known  to  man  by  any  pro- 
cess of  reasoning,  or  any  recorded  experience. 

There  is  another  question  in  reference  to  this  awful 
subject,  which  is  of  deepest  interest.  Although  the  de- 
ductions of  reason  lead  to  the  doctrine  of  the  eventual 
separation  of  mankind  into  two  distinct  communities, 
the  good  and  the  evil,  what  are  its  teachings  as  to  the 
immediate  state  of  each  individual  soul  after  the  event 
of  death  ? 

Here,  as  before,  we  have  only  the  nature  and  past 
history  of  mind,  from  which  the  future  is  to  be  de- 
duced. In  this  world  we  have  found  the  changes  in 
the  character  of  individuals  and  of  communities  to 
proceed  by  slow  and  imperceptible  movement.  We 
have  nothing  in  the  past  to  lead  to  the  belief  that  this 
slow  process  of  discipline,  culture  and  change  may  not 
proceed  on  for  ages.  As  in  this  life,  multitudes  have 
the  impress  and  direction  of  character  given  in  early 
life,  so  that  the  first  few  years  determine  all  their  fu- 
ture history  in  this  world,  so  the  career  of  this  short 
life  may  fix  the  future  through  eternal  years.  And 
yet  the  process  of  change  to  the  full  consummation  of 
character  may  involve  ages. 

In  studying  the  works  of  the  Creator,  we  find  that 
every  thing  goes  forward  on  a  system  of  developments. 
Nothing  comes  into  being  in  full  perfection,  and  unless 
there  is  an  interruption  of  the  natural  tendencies  of 
things,  every  thing  reaches  its  fiill  and  perfected  state 
before  its  existence   ends.     And  the  nobler,  larger, 


IN    THE    FUTUEE    LIFE.  179 

and  grander  the  existence,  the  slower  it  proceeds  to 
its  consummated  perfection.  The  oak  and  the  palm 
demand  centuries  ere  they  reach  their  perfected  prime. 
The  highest  grades  of  animal  life  are  slowest  in  gain- 
ing their  fall  development.  The  horse,  the  elephant, 
and  the  camel,  are  going  forward  to  perfection  for 
years  after  the  feebler  tribes  that  started  with  them 
have  perfected  and  perished. 

Gruided,  then,  by  the  analogies  of  experience,  we 
should  infer  that  mind,  the  noblest  work  of  its  Crea- 
tor's hand — mind,  that  begins  its  career  in  such  low 
and  feeble  development,  is  not  to  form  the  mournful 
exception  to  the  general  rule. 

On  the  contrary,  we  infer  from  all  past  expeiience, 
both  of 'matter  and  mind,  that  the  soul,  when  it  lays 
aside  its  outer  covering,  proceeds  onward  in  its  career 
of  development.  And  if  its  period  of  progressive  de- 
velopment is  proportioned  to  its  relative  value  in  com- 
parison with  all  other  created  things,  the  fleeting  years 
of  this  life  in  relation  to  the  ages  previous  to  its  prime, 
may  be  but  as  the  first  days  of  puling  infancy  to  the 
whole  career  of  manhood. 

But  this  subject  is  imperfectly  treated,  if  we  neglect 
to  consider  the  fact,  that  the  soul,  so  far  as  we  can  per- 
ceive, is  disembodied  at  death.  We  have  perfect  evi- 
dence, that  the  material  part  is  destroyed,  as  to  its 
organized  existence.  We  have  the  same  sort  of  evi- 
dence that  the  soul  continues  to  exist,  and  will  con- 
tinue to  exist,  as  we  have  that  the  sun  exists  when  all 
evidence  of  sight  ceases.  But  what  is  the  experience 
of  a  disembodied  spirit,  we  have  no  means  of  learning. 
It  may  be  that  its  powers  of  knowledge  and  action  are 
greatly  increased,  when  freed  from  its  earthly  prison. 


180  THE 

If  this  be  so,  tlie  experience  of  this  life  leads  to  the 
inference  that  its  dangers  and  temptations  are  increased 
in  exact  proportion.  Increase  of  civilization  is  only 
increase  in  sources  of  knowledge  and  enjoyment,  and 
each  addition  brings  new  temptations,  new  rules,  and 
the  need  of  new  penalties.  It  may  be  the  same  in  the 
future  life. 

We  can  suppose  the  body  a  vail  to  hide  our  mind 
from  another,  and  that  death  makes  every  soul  "  open 
and  naked,"  in  all  its  thoughts  and  feelings,  to  every 
other  disembodied  spirit.  What  would  be  the  effect 
of  such  a  revelation,  no  one  could  say.  But  we  should 
fear  rather  than  hope. 

If  men  are  exasperated  by  words  that  exhibit  only 
a  portion  of  the  scorn,  contempt,  and  disgust  felt 
toward  the  base  and  mean,  not  only  by  the  pure  and 
good,  but  by  the  wicked  themselves,  such  a  full  reve- 
lation of  all  minds  to  all  minds  presents  a  theme  for 
awful  forebodings  to  the  guilty.  And  even  the  pur- 
est might  tremble  to  encounter  such  an  ordeal.  But 
over  such  terrific  conjectures  rest  the  darkness  and 
silence  of  the  grave. 

The  following,  then,  are  the  deductions  of  reason 
and  experience  as  to  the  future  condition  of  our  race 
after  death. 

The  soul,  at  the  dissolution  of  the  body,  remains 
unchanged  in  its  tastes,  habits  and  character.  The 
tendencies  indicated  in  this  life  are  continued  indefi- 
nitely, and  eventually  will  result  in  the  separation  of 
the  good  and  the  bad  into  two  separate  communities, 
the  one,  being  obedient  to  all  the  laws  of  God,  will  be 
for  ever  and  perfectly  happy,  and  the  other  are  to 
reap  the  natural  results  of  disobedience,  and  whatever 


WHAT    MUST    WE    DO,    ETC.  181 

added  penalties  the  best  good  of  the  universe  may  de- 
mand. 

The  final-  consummation  in  which  this  separation 
will  be  achieved,  may  be  at  the  distance  of  ages,  and 
in  the  meantime  all  those  minds  that  have  passed,  or 
will  pass  from  this  life,  are  in  the  same  process  of  cul- 
ture, discipline,  and  upward  or  downward  progress, 
which  exists  in  this  life.  Whether  these  advantages 
and  temptations  will  be  greater  or  less  in  the  disem- 
bodied state,  we  have  no  data  for  inference  or  conjec- 
ture. 

The  conduct  and  character  formed  in  this  life  will 
have  an  abiding  influence  on  the  character  and  happi- 
ness of  every  mind  through  eternal  ages.'* 


CHAPTEE    XXIX. 

WHAT    MUST    WE    DO    TO    BE    SAVED  ? 

We  have  considered  the  risks  and  dangers  of  the 
future  state,  as  taught  by  reason  and  experience,  and 
also  as  the  foundation  of  a  true  standard  of  morality. 
We  have  seen  that  the  true  mode  of  escape  fi-om  these 
dangers  is  the  formation  of  a,  truly  virtuous  character ^  or 
in  other  words,  it  is  making  it  our  chief  end  to  obey  all 
the  laws  of  Ood. 

The  next  question  is,  what  are  the  teachings  of  rea- 
son and  experience  as  to  the  most  successful  modes  of 
securing  true  virtue,  or  voluntary  obedience  to  all  the 
laws  of  God  ? 

This  brings  up  the  inquiry  as  to  the  causes  of  vol- 
*NoteB. 


182  WHAT    MUST    WE     DO 

untary  action,  and  of  the  power  wHcli  one  mind  has 
of  securing  right  or  wrong  volitions  in  another. 

In  a  previous  chapter  was  pointed  out  the  distinc- 
tion to  be  recognized  between  the  ^producing  cause  and 
the  occasional  causes  of  volition. 

Mind  itself  is  the  only  producing  cause  of  its  own 
volitions.  Excited  desires,  and  those  objects  which 
exicte  desire,  are  the  occasional  causes  of  choice. 

The  question  is,  in  what  sense  can  any  being  be 
the  cause  of  virtuous  actions,  or  virtuous  character, 
in  another  mind  ? 

Here  we  must  recur  to  the  fact  that  the  Creator,  as 
the  author  of  all  minds,  and  of  all  the  things  that  ex- 
cite desire,  is  the  cause,  in  one  sense,  of  all  the  voli- 
tions and  of  all  the  characters  of  all  finite  minda 
It  is  in  this  sense  that,  in  the  Bible,  the  Jehovah  of 
the  Old  Testament  says,  "  I  make  peace  and  create 
evil."  No  other  being  but  the  Creator  can  be  re- 
garded as  the  cause  of  volitions  in  this  sense,  viz.,  as 
the  author  of  aU  minds  and  their  circumstances  of 
temptation. 

There  is  a  second  sense  in  which  the  Creator  is 
never  the  cause  of  sinful  action  in  any  mind.  It  is 
this :  creating  or  modifying  our  susceptibilities,  or 
arranging  temptations  with  the  design  or  intention  of 
producing  sinful  action.  This  is  established  by  prov- 
ing, that  the  chief  end  of  God  is  to  make  the  most 
possible  happiness,  and  that  sin  is  the  needless  de- 
struction of  happiness,  resulting  from  disobedience  to 
the  laws  of  God. 

The  only  sense,  then,  in  which  God  can  be  called  the 
author  or  cause  of  sinful  volitions  in  the  minds  of  his 
creatures,  is  the  fact  that  he  is  the  author  of  all  created 
minds  and  of  their  circumstances  of  temptation. 


TO     BE     SAVED?  183 

In  regard  to  man,  there  are  only  two  conceivable 
modes,  in  which  he  can  be  the  cause  of  sinful  or  vir- 
tuous character  in  other  minds. 

The  first  mode  is  so  to  combine  circumstances  of 
temptation  as  to  affect  the  most  excitable  and  power- 
ful sensibilities,  or  to  remove  those  objects  and  influ- 
ences that  sustain  moral  principle,  or  by  a  long  course 
of  training,  to  form  habits  and  induce  principles.  The 
combinations  of  motive  influences  that  one  mind  can 
thus  bring  to  bear  on  another,  as  temptations  to  right 
or  wrong  action,  are  almost  infinite. 

Another  mode  is  by  changing  the  constitutional  sus- 
ceptibilities. This  can  sometimes  be  effected  to  a  cer- 
tain degree  by  education,  and  the  formation  of  habits. 
It  can  be  still  more  directly  effected  through  the  phys- 
ical organization.  For  example,  a  child  may  be  trained 
to  use  coffee,  tea,  alcohol,  or  tobacco,  till  the  nervous 
system  is  shattered,  and  then  a  placid  temper  becomes 
excitable,  an  active  nature  becomes  indolent,  and  mul- 
titudes of  other  disastrous  changes  are  the  result. 

When  these  two  modes  are  employed  with  the  de- 
sign to  induce  wrong  action,  then  men  are  blameable 
causes  of  sinful  action  and  character  in  their  fellow 
men.  God,  as  above  shown,  never  thus  causes  sin. 
When  these  modes  are  employed  with  the  intention 
to  induce  virtuous  actions  and  character,  then  both 
God  and  man  are  causes  of  right  moral  action  in  man- 
kind. 

Thus,  it  appears,  that  in  the  formation  of  virtuous 
character  and  habits,  God,  educators  and  self  are  the 
three  combining  causes,  each  being  indispensable  to 
the  result,  and  thus  each  dependent  on  the  others. 
God  decides  the  nature  and  combinations  of  our  sus- 


184  WHAT    M.UST    WE    DO 

ceptibilities  and  our  circumstances  of  temptation.  The 
educators  of  mind  also  modify  the  susceptibilities,  and 
regulate  the  temptations.  Self,  as  the  producing  cause 
of  volition,  decides  the  nature  of  our  own  volitions, 
and  thus  also  cooperates  to  regulate  circumstances  of 
temptation. 

The  attainment  of  virtuous  character,  therefore,  de- 
pends conjointly  on  God,  man  and  self.  It  has  been 
shown  that  God  invariahly  does  the  test  he  can  to  se- 
cure the  most  perfect  action  possible  in  all  minds. 

The  blamable  causes  of  all  failure  in  right  and  vir- 
tuous action  are  self  and  the  finite  educators  of  self. 
The  unblamable  causes  are  God,  educators  and  self, 
so  far  as  they  are  faithful  in  doing  all  they  can  to  edu- 
cate aright. 

With  these  preliminary  considerations,  we  proceed  in 
the  inquiry  as  to  those  modes  which  in  past  experience 
have  been  found  most  successful  in  securing  virtuous 
character,  or  voluntary  obedience  to  the  laws  of  God. 

The  first  cause  of  right  moral  action  is  a  hnowledge  of 
and  faith  in  the  physical,  social,  intellectual  and  moral 
laws  of  God.  It  is  impossible,  in  the  nature  of  things, 
that  a  new-created  mind  should  be  possessed  of  such 
knowledge  and  faith.  All  that  is  possible,  so  far  as 
we  can  learn  by  reason  and  experience,  is  that  there 
should  be  a  slow  and  gradual  development  not  only 
of  each  individual  mind,  but  of  the  whole  race,  as 
each,  generation,  in  turn,  receives  by  instruction  the 
experience  of  the  one  previous,  and  transmits  it  with 
its  own  experience  to  a  succeeding  generation. 

The  next  thing  that  has  been  found  ef&cacious  in 
forming  virtuous  character  is  the  formation  of  uniform 
habits  of  obedience  to  parental  rule^  in  the  early  periods 


TOBESAVED?  185 

of  existence.  To  secure  this,  invariable  steadiness  in 
government  has  been  found  indispensable.  If  a  child 
finds  that  sometimes  he  is  to  obey  and  sometimes  he 
is  not,  there  is  always  a  temptation  to  struggle  against 
law.  But  if  a  parent's  laws,  rewards  and  penalties 
are  as  steady  and  sure  as  those  of  Grod,  in  due  time  the 
child  submits  as  cheerfully  to  the  domestic  rules  and 
commands,  as  he  does  to  the  laws  of  nature.  He  is  no 
more  tempted  to  contest  parental  commands  than  he 
is  to  attempt  to  stop  the  flow  of  a  river  or  the  falling 
of  rain.  In  this  way  a  habit  of  submission  to  law  is 
generated,  which  makes  all  the  future  discipline  and 
training  of  life  comparatively  easy.  A  child  learns 
cheerfully  to  obey  a  heavenly  Father,  just  in  propor- 
tion as  he  thus  obeys  his  earthly  parents. 

The  next  thing  taught  by  experience  is  that  chil- 
dren should  be  instructed  as  fast  as  possible  in  the 
reasonableness  and  benevolence  of  all  the  laws  they  are 
required  to  obey.  Obedience  is  made  easy  and  sure 
lust  in  proportion  as  a  child  is  made  to  perceive,  that 
such  obedience  is  best  for  himself  and  best  for  all  con- 
cerned. 

The  next  thing  which  experience  has  shown  to  be 
most  effective  in  securing  obedience  to  law,  is  love  on 
the  part  of  the  educator,  and  corresponding  love  in  re- 
turn from  the  child.  To  gain  the  love  of  a  child  an 
educator  must  exhibit  all  lovable  traits,  and  confer 
benefits,  so  as  to  call  forth  at  once  admiration,  grat- 
itude and  affection.  This  renders  it  easy  to  the  child 
to  conform  to  the  rules  and  wishes  of  one  so  beloved. 

Sympathy  with  a  child  in  all  its  trials  and  in  all  its 
enjoyments,  still  further  increases  this  power  of  an- 
other mind  in  right  guidance. 


186  WHAT    MUST    WE    DO 

This  sjmpatlietic  influence  is  greatly  increased  by 
the  power  of  a  virtuous  exam;ple — especially  if  this 
example  is  exhibited  by  a  beloved  friend  and  ben- 
efactor, who  would  be  gratified  by  thus  guiding  a  de- 
pendent mind. 

Another  influence  that  tends  to  secure  virtuous  ac- 
tion is  the  bearing  of  pain  and  hardships  even  when 
it  is  not  voluntary.  Those  children  who  are  trained 
in  a  cold  clime  and  on  a  hard  soil,  and  who  are  early 
trained  to  hardships,  find  it  far  easier  to  conform  to 
rule,  and  to  bear  sacrifices  for  the  general  good,  than 
those  whose  lives  have  been  a  course  of  uninterrupted 
ease  and  indulgence. 

To  these,  add  the  social  influences  of  the  example 
and  sympathy  of  a  surrounding  community.  Where 
all  around  are  practicing  virtuous  conduct — ^wh^re  all 
admire  and  praise  only  what  is  good  and  right — it  is 
far  easier  to  secure  obedience  to  the  rules  of  rectitude, 
than  where  the  example  and  sympathy  of  surrounding 
minds  are  opposed  to  virtue. 

But  the  most  powerful  of  all  influences  in  securing 
virtuous  action,  is  the  principle  of  love  and  gratitude 
toward  some  noble  benefactor,  who  saves  from  some 
terrible  evils  at  the  expense  of  great  personal  sufier- 
ing  and  sacrifices,  and  who  seeks  his  reward  in  the 
pleasure  of  redeeming  those  thus  benefited,  from  the 
snares  and  ruin  of  sin.  And  the  greater  the  evils 
averted,  and  the  more  severe  the  suffering  on  the  part 
of  the  benefactor,  the  stronger  the  influence  thus 
gained  to  secure  virtuous  character  and  action  in  the 
one  thus  rescued. 

These  are    the    influences  which  experience   has 


TOBE    SAVED?  187 

shown  to  be  most  effective  in  securing  virtuous  char- 
acter. 

When  the  question  is  asked,  "  What  must  we  do  to 
be  saved?"  it  may  be  answered  in  reference  to  all  con- 
cerned in  the  matter ;  that  is  to  say,  "  What  must 
self  do — What  must  our  fellow-men  do — What  must 
the  Creator  do,  to  secure  obedience  to  his  laws,  and 
thus  to  save  from  sin  and  its  penalties  ?" 

In  view  of  the  above  teachings,  each  one  for  him- 
self must  seek,  first,  JcnowUdge  of  the  laws  of  God, 
and  of  their  rewards  and  penalties  as  discovered  by 
the  experience  of  mankind.  In  order  to  this,  each 
must  take  all  means  to  gain  true  teachers,  and  to  re- 
ceive their  teachings  in  true  faith,  that  is,  that  practi- 
cal faith,  which  includes  the  purpose  of  obedience. 
Each  must  cultivate  the  intellect,  the  reason  and  the 
moral  sense,  in  order  to  judge  correctly  in  receiving 
and  applying  the  rules  of  rectitude ;  each  must  seek 
to  discover  the  reasonableness  and  benevolence  of 
these  laws,  and  form  habits  of  steady  obedience ;  each 
must  seek  to  discover  and  rightly  to  appreciate  all  the 
good  and  lovable  qualities  of  all  who  institute  and 
administer  laws,  from  the  Creator  to  all  subordinate 
rulers  and  governors  in  the  domestic  and  civil  state  ; 
each  must  seek  the  society  of  those  whose  sympathy 
and  example  would  encourage  and  promote  virtuous 
conduct;  and  finally,  each  must  make  obedience  to 
all  the  laws  of  God  the  chief  end  or  ruling  purpose. 
These  are  briefly  the  reply  to  the  great  question  in 
relation  to  self. 

We  are  next  to  consider  this  question  in  relation  to 
what  men  must  do  to  save  others. 

Here  we  are  to  take  into  account  two  subjects  pre- 


188  WHAT    MUST    WE    DO 

viously  illustrated ;  tlie  first  is  that  great  law  of  sac- 
rifice,  by  which  each  individual  must  make  his  own 
wishes  and  welfare  subordinate  to  the  higher  interests 
of  the  great  commonwealth ;  the  second  is  the  fact 
that  all  questions  of  right  and  wrong  are  dependent  on 
the  rislcs  and  dangei^s  that  threaten  the  commonwealth. 
In  cases  where  there  is  little  peril  or  evil,  each  indi- 
vidual has  little  responsibility  for  others.  On  the 
contrary,  when  all  are  exposed  to  terrific  dangers  and 
hazards,  every  individual  is  bound  to  think  and  care 
as  much  for  the  danger  of  each  one  as  for  his  own. 
And  just  as  much  as  the  interests  of  all  are  of  more 
value  than  those  of  one,  so  much  more  should  each 
place  the  public  welfare  above  that  of  self. 

In  a  preceding  chapter  have  been  exhibited  the 
risks  and  dangers  of  our  race  in  reference  to  the  future 
life.  These  are  such,  that  without  any  appeal  to  reve- 
lation, every  man  of  humanity  and  benevolence  must 
feel  that  to  save  his  fellow-beings  from  such  dangers 
should  become  immediately  his  leading  object  of  pur- 
suit, his  chief  end. 

In  pursuing  this  as  the  main  object  of  life,  each  in- 
dividual is  bound  to  follow  the  teachings  of  experience 
as  to  the  most  successfiil  modes  as  set  forth  above. 
Each  one,  then,  should  become  a  teacher  of  the  laws  of 
God  to  all  who  are  in  ignorance,  to  the  full  extent 
of  his  power,  and  set  forth  all  the  motives  to  induce 
obedience ;  each  should  strive  to  exhibit  all  those 
qualities  and  deeds  which  will  excite  admiration,  love 
and  gratitude,  in  order  thus  to  gain  influence  over 
other  minds  and  guide  them  to  virtuous  conduct. 
Each  should  confer  benefits  and  practice  self-denying 
benevolence  toward  others  and  thus  gain  still  farther 


TO    BE     SAVED?  189 

influence.  Eacii  should  strive  to  exhibit  that  exam- 
ple  and  that  sympathy  that  are  so  effective  in  leading 
others  aright. 

In  regard  to  those  who  are  the  educators  of  the 
young,  each  must  strive  to  maintain  that  invariable 
steadiness  in  governments  which  is  so  effective  in  form- 
ing virtuous  habits  and  in  rendering  obedience  to  the 
laws  of  God  more  and  more  easy. 

Finally,  it  should  be  the  aim  of  each  to  establish 
such  a  community  around  all  who  are  being  trained  to 
virtue,  that  every  social  influence  shall  repress  vice  and 
encourage  virtue. 

Next,  we  are  to  consider  the  great  question  in  refer- 
ence to  the  Creator.  What  then  must  God  do  to  save 
our  race  from  sin  and  its  miseries  ?  What  would  rea- 
son and  experience  teach  us  to  expect  he  would  do  to 
secure  obedience  to  his  laws  ? 

In  answering  this  question  we  must  again  refer  to 
the  causes  which  experience  has  shown  to  be  most  ef- 
fective, for  we  can  conceive  of  no  other.  We  have 
examined  the  evidence  that  the  Creator  has  given  to 
each  of  his  children  such  a  constitution  of  mind  and 
body,  and  such  circumstances  of  temptation  and  trial 
as  is  best  on  the  whohj  as  a  part  of  an  infinite  system 
whose  results  are  to  develop  through  eternity.  At 
the  same  time  it  has  been  shown  that  God  is  lim- 
ited, by  the  eternal  nature  of  things,  to  a  course  in 
which  some  evil  must  exist,  so  that  all  that  is  requi- 
site to  his  character  as  perfectly  benevolent,  is  that 
this  evil  should  be  reduced  by  him  to  its  least  possi- 
ble amount. 

To  suppose  that  God  can  impart  at  creation  of  each 
mind  all  the  knowledge  of  the  millions  of  rules  needed 


190  WHAT    MUST    WE    DO 

for  all  tlie  myriads  of  new  relations,  of  myriads  of  be- 
ings throngli  all  eternity,  is  to  suppose  an  impossibil- 
ity in  tbe  nature  of  things. 

If  it  be  maintained  that  the  Creator  is  not  thus  lim- 
ited by  the  nature  of  things,  but,  as  theologians  teach, 
could  make  mind  perfect  in  all  needed  knowledge  as 
in  all  other  respects,  at  the  first,  then  we  have  the 
greater  contradiction  involved  in  the  fact,  that  a  per- 
fectly benevolent  being  chose  for  his  children  igno- 
rance and  sin  in  preference  to  knowledge  and  virtue. 

To  say  that  it  may  be  hest  to  create  minds  destitute 
of  all  needed  knowledge  when  the  want  insures  infi- 
nite wrong  and  suffering,  and  when  there  is  power  to 
create  the  knowledge  that  would  insure  perfect  hap- 
piness, is  simply  a  direct  contradiction.  It  is  saying 
that  less  happiness  may  be  greater  than  greater  happi- 
ness. For  by  "  what  is  for  the  best "  we  understand 
"  that  which  secures  the  most  happiness."  And  saying 
that  making  misery  where  there  is  power  to  make 
happiness  in  its  place,  is  best,  means  nothing  else  but 
the  assertion  above,  that  less  happiness  is  greater  than 
greater  happiness ;  or  that  less  is  more  than  most^  which 
is  a  contradiction,  inconceivable  and  absurd,  so  that 
no  mind  can  either  comprehend  or  believe  it. 

Now,  every  theologian  of  every  school  and  of  every 
sect  maintains  that  "  God  does  all  things  for  the  best'''' 
Every  one  who  behoves  in  a  benevolent  Creator  does 
the  same.  This  is  simply  saying  that  God  does  the 
best  possible;  that  is  to  say,  there  is  no  power  that 
can  make  a  better  system  than  God  has  made,  or  ad- 
minister it  with  more  wisdom  or  benevolence.  He 
has  chosen  the  best  possible  and  so  he  can  not  do  any 
better. 


TO    BE    SAVED?  191 

These  things  being  granted,  the  teachings  of  ex- 
perience wonld  lead  us  to  suppose,  still  farther,  that 
the  Creator  must  do  all  that  is  possible  to  maintain  in- 
variable  steadiness  of  government.  "We  can  see  that  this, 
which  is  so  important  in  family  government,  must  be 
still  more  so  in  an  infinite  family.  For  this  end,  the 
natural  penalties  for  wrong  doing,  must  be  as  invaria- 
hie  as  the  rewards  for  well  doing. 

Again,  the  Creator  must  instruct  his  creatures  in  his 
laws  and  their  rewards  and  penalties  to  the  full  extent 
of  his  power.  That  is  to  say,  he  must  provide  well- 
trained  educators  of  mind,  as  fast  and  as  fiilly  as  is 
possible  in  the  nature  of  things,  having  in  view  the 
results  of  eternal  ages  to  guide  his  decisions. 

Again,  to  secure  voluntary  obedience,  he  must 
add  to  the  natural  rewards  and  penalties  of  his  laws, 
the  other  class  of  motives  which  experience  has 
shown  to  be  most  effective.  Thus,  he  must  present 
himself  to  his  creatures  as  a  being  possessing  all 
those  qualities  which  call  forth  the  delightful  emo- 
tions of  admiration,  reverence  and  Ibve ;  he  must  show 
himself  as  a  constant  benefactor,  and  as  one  who 
"  does  not  willingly  afflict  or  grieve  the  children  of 
men."  He  must  manifest  his  love  to  his  creatures  by 
word  as  well  as  by  deed.  He  must  come  personally  to 
provide  for  their  wants  and  cheer  them  with  his  care. 
He  must  show  his  tenderness  and  sympathy  in  their 
trials  and  sorrows  as  well  as  in  their  joys.  And  if 
they  are  exposed  to  great  dangers  and  evils  from 
which  they  can  be  redeemed  by  self-sacrifice  and  suf- 
fering on  his  part,  this  highest  and  most  effective 
proof  of  love  must  be  exhibited.* 

To  this  must  be  added,  a  manifestation  of  his  chief 
*  Note  0. 


L 


192  SUFFICIENCY    OF 

desire^  so  tliat  wlieii  love  and  gratitude  ask,  what  can 
•we  do  to  please  our  benefactor  in  return,  the  answer 
shall  be,  obey  his  laws,  and  work  and  suffer  for  the 
good  of  all,  as  you  see  your  Heavenly  Parent  does  for 
you. 

Finally,  he  must  bring  around  each  of  his  creatures 
the  powerful  social  influence,  not  only  of  his  own  sym- 
pathy and  example,  but  those  also  of  a  perfect  com- 
monwealth, where  all  shall  be  perfect  as  is  the  Father 
of  all. 

This  is  what  we  should  evolve  by  the  light  of  rea- 
son and  .experience,  as  what  the  Creator  must  do  to 
save  our  race.  Whether  he  has  done  all  this,  is  a 
question  that  belongs  to  that  system  of  religion  which 
we  can  gain  only  by  revelation  from  Grod.* 


OHAPTEE    XXX. 

HOW   FAR    REASON    AND    EXPERIENCE  ARE    SUFFI- 
CIENT   WITHOUT    REVELATION. 

The  preceding  chapters  present  the  system  of  nat- 
ural religion,  as  it  may  be  gained  by  experience  and 
those  principles  of  reason  or  common  sense  with 
which  all  men  are  endowed. 

Whether  mankind  ever  have,  or  ever  would,  fully 
evolve  this  system  of  religious  belief,  without  any  aid 
by  revelation  from  the  Creator,  is  a  question  which 
we  can  not  readily  decide— inasmuch  as  the  claim  of 
Christianity  is,  that  from  the  first,  our  race  have  been 
instructed  by  revelations  from  God,  which  have  been 
more  or  less  preserved  in  traditions  and  written  records 
*  Note  B. 


KEASON    AND    EXPERIENCE.  193 

It  is  certain  that  tlie  elimination  of  this  system,  bj 
Unaided  humanity,  is  dependent  on  the  development 
of  both  the  intellectual  and  moral  powers,  just  as 
much  so,  as  the  physical  discoveries  of  Newton,  Co- 
pernicus and  Columbus  were  dependent  on  the  intel- 
lectual progress  of  the  race. 

In  reference  to  the  question  of  the  necessity  or  im- 
portance of  revelations  from  the  Creator,  it  is  interest- 
ing to  examine  how  far  those  nations  that  have  been 
most  advanced  in  intellectual  development,  have  se- 
cured this  system  of  common  sense,  independently  of 
the  revelations  contained  in  the  Bible — revelations 
which  also  have  been  more  or  less  incorporated  by 
Mohammed  into  the  Koran. 

In  a  brief  review  of  the  pagan  systems,  that  of 
Boodhism  occupies  the  first  place,  as  one  which  has 
had  longest  and  largest  control  over  civilized  pagan- 
dom— one  which  has  been  most  unimpeded  by  resist- 
ance, and  one  which  now  controls  one  half  the  human 
race. 

We  have  seen  that  the  common-sense  system  teach- 
es an  eternally  self-existent  Creator,  perfect  in  knowl- 
edge, wisdom,  power  and  benevolence,  administering 
a  perfect  system  by  laws — ^his  chief  design  being  to 
produce  the  most  possible  happiness  with  the  least 
possible  evil.  It  teaches  also,  that  the  right  voluntary 
action  of  mind,  as  a  part  of  this  system,  consists  in 
good  willing  toward  the  Creator,  toward  self,  and  to- 
ward our  feUow-beings,  according  to  the  laws  of  God, 
so  as  to  secure  what  is  best  for  all  concerned — mak- 
ing it  imperative  that  self  be  made  subordinate  to  the 
public  good.  It  teaches  also,  that  the  most  effective 
mode  of  securing  this  right  action  is,  first,  by  impart- 

9 


194  SUFFICIENCY    OF 

ing  a  hnowledge  of  these  laws  and  tlieir  sanctionSj  and 
thus  influencing  mind  by  the  motives  of  hope  and 
fear ;  next,  by  the  motive  influences  of  hve^  gratitude, 
sympathy  and  example^  as  mutually  exercised  by  God, 
our  fellow-men  and  self.  Finally,  it  teaches  that  all 
questions  as  to  what  is  right  and  wrong,  are  to  be  reg 
ulated  with  reference  to  the  risks  and  dangers  of  2i.fu 
iure  life,  and  not  with  chief  reference  to  this  life  alone 
— and  that  in  this  estimate  the  interests  of  self  are  to 
be  made  subordinate  to  those  of  the  commonwealth. 

"We  will  now  notice  how  far  the  system  of  Boodh 
corresponds  with  that  of  common  sense. 

This  religion*  is  one  in  which  there  is  no  interven- 
tion of  any  supreme  God,  or  any  self-existent  being, 
or  any  Creator ;  on  the  contrary,  all  souls  and  all  the 
universe  exist  from  eternity.  All  souls  from  eter 
nity  have  gone  on  transmigrating  from  one  body  to 
another,  rising  or  "falling  in  the  scale  of  existence 
according  to  their  merit  or  demerit.  Boodh  is  a  gen- 
eral name  for  a  divinity  or  god.  There  have  been 
innumerable  Boodhs  in  different  worlds  and  different 
ages,  but  in  this  world  only  four.  These  four  are  be- 
ings who  have  risen  by  merit  through  various  trans- 
migrations, and  then  became  incarnate  in  human 
bodies.  At  last  they  were  annihilated,  none  of  them 
being  now  in  existence — ^so  that  this  world  for  cen- 
turies has  been  without  any  God. 

The  last  Boodh  of  this  world  was  Gaudama.  He 
passed  through  innumerable  transmigrations  in  four 
hundred  millions  of  worlds,  and  attained  immense 
merit.  At  last,  he  was  born  into  this  world  the  son 
of  a  ^ug,  about  six  hundred  years  before  Christ. 

*  This  account  is  taken  from  Rev.  Howard  Maloom'a  Travels  in  Asia. 


REASON    AND    EXPERIENCE.  195 

The  moment  lie  was  born  he  exclaimed,  "Kow  am 
I  the  noblest  of  men  ;  this  is  the  last  time  I  shall  ever 
be  born !"  He  remained  fortj-five  years  as  Boodh  of 
this  world — ^performed  all  sorts  of  meritorious  deeds, 
promulgated  excellent  laws,  and  then  was  annihilated. 
Ever  since,  this  world  has  had  no  God,  and  will  have 
none  for  eight  thousand  years,  when  the  next  Boodh 
is  to  appear.  The  first  three  Boodhs  left  no  laws  or 
sayings.  Those  of  Graudama,  the  last  Boodh,  were 
reduced  to  writing  A.  D.  94,  and  these  are  the  Bedegat^ 
or  Bible  of  the  Boodhists. 

These  teachings  of  Gaudama  are  so  obligatory,  that 
disbelief  of  them  is  the  only  crime  that  incurs  eternal 
punishment. 

According  to  this  system,  true  virtue  or  rewardable 
merit,  consists  in  obeying  the  teachings  of  Gaudama. 
These  teachings  relate  first  to  sins  to  be  avoided.  The 
five  general  laws  are,  not  to  kill,  not  to  steal,  not  to 
commit  adultery,  not  to  lie,  and  not  to  drink  intox- 
icating liquors.  These  are  subdivided  so  as  to  in- 
clude all  sins  of  similar  kinds  under  each  head.  For 
example,  the  first  law  includes  even  the  killing  of  an- 
imals for  food,  also  capital  punishments  and  war. 

Sins  are  divided  into  these  three  classes :  first,  those 
of  the  body,  such  as  killing,  theft,  fornication,  etc. ; 
those  of  the  tongue,  as  falsehood,  harsh  language,  idle 
talk,  etc. ;  and  those  of  the  mind,  as  pride,  covetous- 
ness,  envy,  heretical  thoughts,  etc. 

These  writings  of  Gaudama  strongly  denounce  the 
evils  of  pride,  anger,  covetousness,  and  all  inordinate 
appetites.  Men  are  exhorted  to  avoid  excess  in  per- 
fumes, ornaments  and  laughter — also  strong  drink, 
smoking,   opium,   night  wanderings,   bad  company, 


196  SUFFICIENCY    OF 

idleness,  anger  under  abuse,  flattery  to  benefactors, 
annoying  jests,  and  all  that  leads  to  strife. 

For  all  such  sins  the  most  awful  conceivable  pun- 
ishments are  to  follow  in  a  future  state,  and  for  mil- 
lions of  ages. 

Rewardable  merit  is  of  three  kinds : 

1.  Obedience  to  all  the  preceding  precepts  and  pro- 
hibitions, and  the  performance  of  all  duties  fairly  de- 
ducihle  from  them,  such  as  integrity,  gentlenes's,  lenity, 
forbearance,  condescension,  veneration  to  parents  and 
love  to  mankind  in  general. 

2.  Alms-giving  and  votive  offerings.  This  includes 
feeding  priests,  building  temples  and  accommodations 
for  priests  and  for  travelers,  making  roads,  tanks  and 
wells,  planting  fruit  and  shade  trees,  feeding  criminals 
and  animals,  and  finally,  giving  alms  to  all  classes  of 
men  in  need. 

3.  Prayers  and  reading  the  Bedegat,  or  religious 
books.  Of  this  last  kind  of  merit,  there  are  three 
kinds :  the  first  is  the  senseless  repetition  of  prayers 
and  reading;  the  second,  reading  intelligently;  the 
last,  is  performing  these  exercises  with  strong  desires 
and  feelings.  Prayers  are  not  addressed  to  any  God, 
as  there  is  none  existing  now  for  this  world.  Grau- 
dama,  at  his  death,  advised  that,  in  addition  to  obey- 
ing his  laws,  his  relics  and  image  should  be  wor- 
shiped, and  temples  be  built  to  his  honor  till  the  next 
Boodh  came. 

Votive  offerings  of  fruit,  rice  and  flowers  are  made 
to  priests  or  placed  in  temples.  The  prayers  consist 
of  the  repetition  of  soliloquies  that  express  our  liabil- 
ity to  bodily  evils  and  to  mental  suffering,  and  our 
inability  to  escape.    Also  of  protestations  of  this  kind, 


REASON    AND    EXPERIENCE.  197 

"  I  will  not  lie ;"  "  I  will  not  steal ;"  "  I  wiU  not  kill," 
etc. 

There  are  four  Sabbaths  or  days  for  public  worship 
each  month,  when  the  people  go  with  votive  ofierings 
and  prayers  to  the  temple  of  Gaudama,  but  they  have 
no  general  united  worship. 

The  Boodhists  have  a  hierarchy  very  much  like  the 
Catholic  church,  with  varied  grades  and  ranks.  The 
priests  are  required  to  practice  celibacy,  and  are  main- 
ly supported  by  voluntary  gifts  from  the  people. 

They  reside  in  buildings  erected  especially  for  them, 
and  as  celibacy  and  the  avoidance  of  women  are  en- 
joined on  all,  these  establishments  very  much  resem- 
ble Catholic  monasteries.  Few  of  the  priests  preach, 
and  only  by  special  request,  after  which,  presents  are 
made  to  them.  They  attend  funerals  only  when  in- 
vited, and  then  expect  presents.  Part  of  them  spend 
some  time  in  teaching  novitiate  priests,  but  most  of 
them,  regarding  work  as  unprofessional,  spend  their 
time  in  sheer  idleness.  It  is  the  rule  that  each  priest 
perambulate  the  streets  every  morning  till  he  receives 
boiled  rice  enough  for  his  daily  wants.  The  higher 
class  of  priests  avoid  this.  In  Burmah  the  priests  are 
at  the  rate  of  one  to  every  thirty  persons,  and  they  are 
well  supported  by  the  people,  and  without  interfer- 
ance  from  the  government  to  enforce  it. 

As  to  the  motives  that  sustain  this  religion,  there 
being  no  God  to  the  Boodhist,  all  motives  arising 
from  relations  and  regard  to  him  are  excluded.  All 
the  motives  presented  appeal  to  hope  of  good  and 
fear  of  evil  to  self.  Those  who  attain  a  certain 
measure  of  merit  in  obeying  Gaudama's  teachings  go 
to  some  of  the  celestial  regions,  according  to  their  at- 


198  SUFFICIENCY    OF 

tainments.  These  consist  of  twenty-six  heavens,  one 
above  another,  which  o£fer  various  degrees  of  enjoy- 
ment according  to  merit  obtained. 

There  are  eight  principal  hells;  four  that  torment 
with  cold  and  four  with  heat.  In  the  other  hells  are 
other  sufferings,  although  not  connected  with  heat  and 
cold.  Worms  bite,  bowels  are  torn  out,  limbs  are 
racked,  bodies  are  lacerated,  they  are  pierced  with  hot 
spits,  crucified  head  downward,  gnawed  by  dogs,  torn 
by  vultures.  These  are  described  with  minuteness  in 
the  Bedegat  and  often  depicted  by  the  native  artists 
in  drawings,  reminding  one  of  Dante's  Inferno  illus- 
trated. 

For  killing  a  parent  or  a  priest  a  man  will  suffer  in 
one  of  the  heUs  of  fire  for  inconceivable  millions  of 
ages.  Denying  the  doctrines  of  Graudama  incurs  eter- 
nal  suffering  in  fire.  Insulting  women,  old  men  or 
priests,  receiving  bribes,  selling  intoxicating  drinks 
and  parricide,  are  punished  in  the  worst  hell. 

Merit  gained  by  any  good  conduct  in  these  hells 
enables  the  person  to  rise  even  to  the  celestial  regions. 

The  souls  of  all  the  universe  have  existed  from 
eternity,  transmigrating  for  ever,  and  thus  rising  and 
falling  in  the  scale  of  existence  according  to  the  degrees 
of  merit  at  each  birth.  This  is  decided  not  by  any 
deity  but  by  immutable  fate.  In  passing  through  these 
changes  the  amount  of  sorrow  is  incalculable.  The 
Bedegat  declares  that  the  tears  shed  by  one  soul  in 
its  various  changes  are  so  great  that  the  ocean  in  com- 
parison is  but  a  drop.  Sorrow  is  declared  to  be  the 
inevitable  attendant  of  all  existence,  and  therefore 
*'  the  chief  end,"  and  the  highest  reward  of  Boodhism 
is,  annihilation. 


REASON    AND    EXPEBIENCE.  199 

The  system  of  Boodliisin  commenced  about  six 
hundred  years  before  Christ,  and  has  pervaded  east- 
ern, central  and  southern  Asia  about  as  long  and  as 
fully  as  Christianity  has  pervaded  Europe.  The  Bur- 
man  empire,  where  this  account  of  that  faith  was  ob- 
tained, presents  the  most  favorable  results  of  this 
system  on  the  character  and  condition  of  its  votaries. 

In  China,  Buddhism  (another  name  for  Boodhism) 
is  the  popular  religion.  With  it  is  associated  Confu- 
cianism, which  is  a  system  of  morals  and  politics  insti- 
tuted by  Confucius,  B.  C.  550,  which  teaches  nothing 
in  regard  to  any  God  or  a  future  state.  With  them 
co-exist  the  sect  of  Laotze,  which  is  a  kind  of  ration- 
alism. Most  of  the  temples  and  priests  are  those  of 
Boodh  or  Budda,  but  there  is  no  such  organized 
priesthood  as  in  Burmah,  nor  is  this  religion  main- 
tained by  governmental  power.  It  is  also  consider- 
ably modified  by  the  more  ancient  system  of  poly- 
theism. 

In  Thibet  and  Tartary,  the  religion  of  the  Grand 
Lama  chiefly  prevails,  which  is  one  form  of  Boodhism. 

In  western  India,  Brahmanism  is  in  constant  war- 
fare with  Boodhism,  and  the  two  systems  are  perfectly 
antagonistic.  Brahmanism  teaches  one  eternal  deity 
and  three  hundred  and  thirty-three  millions  of  other 
gods,  with  hosts  of  idols  representing  them  ;  Boodhism 
has  no  deity  at  all,  and  only  one  image,  that  of  Gau- 
dama.  Brahmanism  enjoins  sacrifices  ;  Boodhism  for- 
bids killing.  Brahmanism  requires  atrocious  tortures ; 
Boodhism  inculcates  "fewer  austerities  than  even  Pop- 
ery. Brahmanism  makes  lying,  fornication  and  theft 
sometimes  commendable,  and  describes  the  gods  as 
excelling  in  such  crimes ;  Boodhism  never  confounds 


200  SUFFICIENCY    OP 

riglit  and  wrong,  and  never  excuses  any  sin.  Brah- 
manism  makes  the  highest  good  or  chief  end  of  man  to 
be  absorption  into  the  supreme  deity ;  Boodhism  makes 
annihilation  the  highest  hope  and  aim  of  existence. 
These  two  systems,  together  with  Mohammedanism, 
so  prevail  in  Hindostan  that  the  distinct  results  of  each 
can  never  be  compared.  These  are  the  prevailing  re- 
ligions in  the  most  advanced  pagan  nations  at  the  pres- 
ent time ;  and  of  the  two,  Boodhism  is  the  best,  and 
probably  has  been  the  most  fairly  tested  in  Burmah. 

In  past  ages  the  two  most  highly  developed  heathen 
nations  were  those  of  Greece  and  Eome,  and  of  their  re- 
ligion we  have  the  fullest  records.  It  is  not  probable 
that  any  one  will  consider  their  system  of  religion  su- 
perior to  this  now  exhibited  of  modern  paganism. 

The  result  is  that  the  most  highly  developed  heathen 
nations,  as  yet,  have  attained  but  very  imperfectly  the 
system  of  common  sense. 

1^0  heathen  religion  ever  taught  an  eternally-exist- 
ing Creator,  perfect  in  knowledge,  wisdom,  power  and 
benevolence.  None  ever  taught  that  the  chief  end  of 
our  Creator  is  happiness-making  on  the  greatest  pos- 
sible scale.  None  ever  taught  that  this  also  is  the  chief 
end  for  which  man  is  created.  None  ever  taught  that 
right  moral  action,  or  true  virtue,  consists  in  good  willr 
ing  toward  the  Creator ^  toward  self,  and  toward  our  fellow- 
beingSj  according  to  the  laws  of  the  Creator,  so  that  every 
mind  shall  mahe  the  good  of  self  subordinate  to  the  general 
good.  None  ever  taught  that  all  questions.of  right  and 
wrong,  or  what  is  for  the  best,  are  to  be  decided  with 
reference  to  the  risks  and  dangers  of  a  future  life. 
None  ever  presented  communion  with,  and  the  care, 
sympathy,  sacrifices,  and  example  of  a  "  long-suffer- 


REASON    AND    EXPERIENCE.  201 

ing"  Creator,  as  motives  to  secure  virtuous  self-sac- 
rifice from  his  creatures.  If  all  this  is  taught  by 
revelations  from  God  in  the  Bible,  it  is  what  was 
never  taught  by  any  other  religion  yet  known  on 
earth. 

In  the  history  of  the  heathen  world,  we  find  anxious 
inquiries  on  these  subjects  pressing  on  every  thought- 
ful spirit.  Who  made  this  world  with  its  profound  and 
ceaseless  sorrows  ?  Are  there  contending  deities,  and 
are  the  malignant  powers  in  the  ascendant  ?  If  there 
be  one  supreme  Creator  of  all,  is  he  propitious  or  hos- 
tile to  a  race  so  guilty  as  ours  ?  Does  he  feel  any 
pity  or  sympathy  for  our  profound  ignorance,  our  in- 
finite sorrows  ?  Can  we  do  any  thing  to  gain  his  help 
in  our  darkness  and  misery  ?  Where  do  we  go  when 
we  die  ?  Does  our  short  and  painful  span  of  being 
end  in  eternal  night,  or  are  we  to  go  on  in  another 
career  of  similar  suffering  and  change  ?  When  we 
lay  our  beloved  ones  in  the  grave,  shall  we  ever  meet 
them  again,  or  is  "the  only  proper  utterance  of  a 
broken  heart,  vakj  vale^  in  eternum  vaU  .^" 

These  have  been  the  mournful  questionings  of  every 
age  and  every  race,  while  the  wisest  sages  of  the  wis- 
est nations,  without  a  revelation,  have  been  unable  to 
give  any  satisfactory  reply. 

Greece  and  Eome  were  the  most  civilized  of  all  an- 
cient nations,  and  they  give  us  Socrates,  Plato,  Aris- 
totle and  Cicero,  as  their  best  and  wisest  men,  who 
most  deeply  pondered  these  great  questions.  Aris- 
totle held  to  one  superior  deity,  but  taught  that  the 
stars  are  true  and  eternal  deities.  Cicero  leads  to 
the  belief  of  many  gods,  and  approves  of  worshiping 
distinguished  men  as  gods.     Socrates  held  to  a  plural- 

9* 


202  AUGUSTINIAN    CREEDS 

itj  of  deities,  and  also  to  transmigration.  He  held 
that  the  common  sort  of  good  men  will  go  into  the 
forms  of  bees,  ants,  and  other  animals  of  a  mild  and 
social  kind.  Plato  held  to  two  principles,  God  and 
matter,  and  that  Grod  was  not  concerned  either  in  the 
creation  or  government  of  this  world.  He  argued  for 
the  immortality  of  the  sonl  on  the  ground  of  its  ^re- 
existence^  and  concludes  some  of  his  speculations  thus  : 
"  We  can  not  of  ourselves  know  what  will  be  pleas- 
ing to  God,  or  what  worship  to  pay  him ;  but  it  is 
needful  that  a  lawgiver  be  sent  from  heaven.  Such 
an  one  do  I  expect,  and  0  how  greatly  do  I  desire  to 
see  him,  and  who  he  is !" 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 

AUGUSTINIAN  CREEDS  AND  THEOLOGIANS  TEACH  THE 
COMMON-SENSE  SYSTEM. 

In  the  former  portion  of  this  work  the  Augustinian 
theory,  with  the  system  based  on  it,  has  been  presented 
as  it  is  taught  by  creeds  and  theologians.  In  con- 
trast with  it,  has  been  presented  the  common-sense 
system  of  religion  as  evolved  by  reason  and  experi- 
ence. 

The  evidence  will  now  be  presented,  to  show  that 
those  who  teach  the  Augustinian  system,  at  the  same 
time  teach  the  main  points  of  the  common-sense  sys- 
tem ;  and  where  the  two  systems  are  contradictory, 
that  they  teach  both  sides  of  the  contradiction,  at  once 
afiirming  and  denying  the  same  things. 


AND    THEOLOGIANS.  203 

A  leading  feature  of  tlie  common-sense  system  is, 
that  the  nature  of  tlie  human  mind  is  our  only  guide 
to  the  natural  attributes  of  God. 

It  will  now  be  shown  that  leading  theologians 
and  metaphysicians  of  the  Augustinian  school  teach 
the  same. 

The  Calvinistic  theologians  of  Kew  England  have 
been  universally  acknowledged  as  among  the  most 
acute  and  profound  metaphysicians  in  the  world. 
At  the  head  of  these  stands  President  Jonathan 
Edwards.  In  reference  to  our  modes  of  gaining  a 
knowledge  of  God,  he  says : 

"  If  respect  to  the  Divine  Being  is  of  any  importance,  then 
speculative  points  are  of  importance,  for  the  only  way  we  can  Tcnow 
what  he  is,  is  hy  speculation" 

Dr.  Woods,  for  near  half  a  century  a  leading  theo- 
logical teacher  of  New  England,  says : 

"  AH  our  particular  conceptions  of  God  may  be  found  to  take 

their  rise  from  the  conceptions  we  form  of  created  intelligences" 

Dr.  Emmons,  a  distinguished  New  England  divine, 
says  of  man : 

"  In  the  very  frame  and  constitution  of  his  nature  he  still  bears 
the  natural  image  of  his  Maker.  In  a  word,  man  is  the  hving  im- 
age of  the  hving  Grod,  in  whom  is  displayed  more  of  the  divine 
nature  and  glory  than  in  all  the  works  and  creatures  of  God  unon 
earth." 

Dr.  Taylor,  the  New  Havea  divine,  says : 

"  The  only  ultimate  source  of  knowledge,  and  ultimate  umpire 
of  truth,  is  the  knowing  mind." 


204  AUGUSTINIAN    CREEDS 

The  celebrated  Scotcli  metapliysician,  Sir  "W.  Ham- 
ilton, says : 

"  We  can  know  G-od  only  as  we  know  ourselves." 

In  proof  of  tlais  from  the  Bible,  these  writers  quote 
from  the  Apostle  James,  that  "men  are  made  after 
the  simihtude  of  God." 

Another  leading  feature  of  the  common-sense  sys- 
tem is  the  position,  that  we  can  discover  the  chief  end 
or  design  of  the  Creator,  by  the  nature  of  his  works, 
and  that  this  end  is  to  produce  the  greatest  possible 
happiness  with  the  least  possible  evil. 

It  will  now  be  shown  that  leading  theologians  teach 
the  same. 

President  Edwards,  in  his  Dissertation  concerning  the 
end  for  which  Ood  created  the  world^  teaches  that 

"  What  God  had  respect  to  as  an  'ultimate  end  of  his  creating 
the  world,  was  to  communicate  of  his  own  infinite  fullness  of  good''' 

He  teaches  that  God  is  in  no  way  dependent  on  his 
creatures  for  happiness,  but  that  his  enjoyment  con- 
sists in  outpouring  his  own  good  to  his  vast  family. 

No  one  can  read  that  essay  without  perceiving  that, 
though  disconnected  passages  may  make  a  different 
impression,  the  above  is  a  correct  statement  of  the  doc- 
trine of  that  dissertation. 

It  is  supposed  that  this  \dew  has  been  assented  to 
by  most  of  those  American  and  European  theologians 
who  most  strenuously  defend  the  Augustinian  system. 

The  end  or  design  of  mind  being  ascertained,  its 
right  mode  of  action  is  thus  determined.  Accordingly 
we  shall  find  that  the  great  ISTew  England  divines  and 
metaphysicians,  though  they  use  different   language, 


AND    THEOLOGIANS.  205 

all  express  the  same  idea  in  defining  true  virtue  or 
holiness. 

Thus  President  Edwards  taught,  as  his  son  states, 
that 

"  Every  voluntary  action  which,  in  its  general  tendency  and 
ultimate  consequence^  leads  to  happiness — ^happiness  in  general — 
happiness  on  the  largest  scale — ^is  virtuous ;  and  every  such  action 
which  has  not  this  tendency,  and  does  not  lead  to  this  conse- 
quence, is  vicious." 

Here  let  it  be  noted  that  President  Edwards  ex- 
pressly teaches  that  it  is  not  voluntary  happiness - 
making,  irrespective  of  the  amount,  that  constitutes 
virtue  ;  but  it  is  "happiness  in  general — ^happiness 
on  the  largest  scaled  This  corresponds  exactly  with 
the  common-sense  system,  demanding  that  happiness- 
making  be  on  the  greatest  possible  scale,  and  in  order 
to  this,  it  must  be  according  to  law  or  rules. 

Dr.  Dwight,  whose  system  of  theology  is  accepted 
as  the  most  satisfactory  exposition  of  the  new  school 
Calvinistic  views,  teaches  that 

"  True  virtue  is  the  love  of  doing  good,  or  the  love  of  promoting 
happiness.  Its  excellence  consists  in  this,  that  it  is  the  voluntary 
and  only  source  of  happiness  in  the  universe.  God  wills  our  hap- 
piness ;  it  is,  therefore,  right,  it  is  virtuous  in  us,  to  seek  to  pro- 
mote it  both  here  and  hereafter." 

In  this  case,  the  language  of  Dr.  Dwight  is  not  so 
discriminating  and  clear  as  that  of  President  Edwards 
— ^for  he  does  not  show  so  clearly  as  does  President 
Edwards  that  his  real  meaning  is  voluntary  happiness- 
making  on  the  largest  scale.  In  this,  and  all  the  fol- 
lowing quotations  from  other  writers,  it  is  a  fact,  as 
gained  by  their  comUned  expressions,  that  the  distinc- 


206  AUGUSTINIAN    CREEDS 

tion  made  by  President  Edwards  was  accepted,  and 
that  by  the  ''  love  of  doing  good,"  or  the  "  love  of 
promoting  happiness,"  is  intended  that  voluntary  love 
or  good  willing  which  seeks  not  merely  some  good, 
but  the  hest  good  of  all. 

Dr.  Taylor,  the  distinguished  successor  of  Dr. 
Dwight,  teaches  the  same  doctrine,  as  is  so  abun- 
dantly manifest  in  his  published  writings,  that  no 
quotations  will  be  deemed  needful. 

The  Westminster  Assembly's  Catechism  teaches 
that 

"  The  chief  end  of  man  is  to  glorify  God  and  enjoy  him  for 
ever." 

The  glory  of  Grod  can  be  secured  only  by  true  vir- 
tue in  himself  and  in  his  creatures  ;  and  if  this  consists 
in  voluntary  happiness-making  on  the  greatest  pos- 
sible scale,  then  the  chief  end  of  man,  as  taught  in 
that  old  standard  of  orthodoxy,  is  exactly  the  same 
as  is  taught  in  the  system  of  common  sense.  Man  is 
to  make  happiness  on  the  greatest  possible  scale,  guid- 
ed by  the  laws  of  God — and  thus  doing,  he  will  "  glo- 
rify G-od  and  enjoy  him  for  ever." 

The  same  theologians  also  teach  that  the  laws  of 
God  are  our  guide  as  to  what  is  good  and  evil,  and 
that  true  virtae,  or  right  action,  is  secured  only  by 
obeying  these  laws.  They  hold,  therefore,  the  doc- 
trine of  common  sense,  that  all  true  virtue  consists  in 
voluntary  obedience  to  the  will  of  God  as  manifested 
in  his  natural  and  revealed  laws. 

The  next  point  of  agreement  is  in  the  proposition,  that 
God  always  has,  and  always  will  do  what  is  "/?r  the 
hesf — so  that  it  always  is  and  will  be,  out  of  his  power 


AND    THEOLOGIANS.  207 

to  do  better — inasmucli  as  to  do  letter  than  lest,  is  a  con- 
tradiction and  absurdity.  Every  theologian,  in  one 
form  of  words  or  another,  maintains  that  God  always 
has  done,  and  always  will  do,  the  lest  he  can,  so  that 
he  has  no  power  to  do  better.  This  being  so,  it  is  the 
same  as  teaching  that  the  past,  present  and  future  ex- 
istence of  sin  and  misery,  is  what  is  inevitable  in  the 
best  system  which  Grod  has  power  to  create,  so  that 
any  change  in  God's  plans,  laws,  and  their  results, 
would  imply  an  act  of  folly  and  malevolence  on  his 
part. 

This  does  not  imply  that  the  sinful  conduct  of 
man  is  what  is  desired  or  intended  by  the  Creator 
— ^nor  does  it  imply  that  sin  was  desired  or  intended 
by  God  as  the  "  necessary  means  to  the  greatest  good." 
Instead  of  this,  it  is  clear  that  if  it  had  been  possille 
— ^.  e.,  if  God  had  the  power — to  create  all  minds  with 
all  the  hnowledge  and  all  the  motives  that  would  secure 
perfect  obedience  to  law  from  all  the  race  of  Adam, 
there  would  have  been  more  happiness.  The  univer- 
sal obedience  of  all  free  agents  to  all  God's  laws  for 
making  happiness  on  the  greatest  possible  scale,  would 
secure  perfect  happiness  to  all,  while  every  act  of  dis- 
obedience would  lessen  the  amount.  To  deny  this  is 
the  same  as  saying  that  less  happiness  is  more  than 
the  most  happiness,  which  is  absurd. 

The  result  is,  that  sin  is  not  the  fault  of  the  Crea- 
tor, but  is  the  inevitable  result  of  the  commencement 
of  finite,  ignorant,  inexperienced  minds,  and  is  what 
neither  God  nor  man  could  prevent,  in  a  perfect  sys- 
tem of  finite,  free  agents. 

At  the  same  time,  it  is  the  fault  of  all  free  agents 
who   sin  when  they  have  adequate  knowledge  and 


208  AUGUSTINIAN    CREEDS 

motives.  And  it  is  only  sins  against  hnown  law  and 
appropriate  motives  which  are  the  proper  subject  of 
penalties  in  addition  to  the  natural  consequences  of 
wrong  doing. 

It  is  claimed,  therefore,  that  when  theologians  teach. 
— as  all  do — that  "  God  orders  all  things  for  the  best," 
they  really  teach,  in  another  form,  the  common-sense 
doctrine  as  stated  above. 

Having  gained  the  teachings  of  leading  theologians 
as  to  the  nature  of  true  virtue  or  right  voluntary 
action,  we  also  gain  their  definition  of  wrong  moral 
action,  or  sin.  In  the  words  of  President  Edwards, 
"  Every  voluntary  action  which  in  its  general  tendency 
and  ultimate  consequence  leads  to  happiness — hap- 
piness in  general — ^happiness  on  the  largest  scale — is 
virtuous;  and  every  such  action  which  has  not  this 
tendency,  and  does  not  lead  to  this  consequence,  is 
vicious,"  or  sinful. 

That  is  to  say,  every  volition  that  tends  to  lessen 
the  general  happiness,  is  vicious  or  sinful,  and  every 
violation  of  Grod's  physical,  social  and  moral  laws,  has 
this  tendency.  Thus  the  Bible  definition  of  sin  is 
the  one  accepted  by  theologians — i.  e.,  "sm  is  the 
transgression  of  law^"*  without  reference  to  the  question 
whether  the  law  is  known  or  not.  True  virtue  is  vol- 
untary obedience  to  law,  and  sin  is  the  voluntary 
transgression  of  law.  These  definitions  then  are  a 
part  of  the  Augustinian  system  as  much  as  they  are 
-of  the  common-sense  system. 

The  next  point  of  the  common-sense  system  taught 
by  theologians,  is  that  our  moral  power  to  obey  Grod 
— ^.  e.,  power  to  choose  according  to  law  instead  of 
impulse — ^is  proportioned  to  our  knowledge  of  law, 


AND    THEOLOGIANS.  209 

and  the  motives  of  fear,  hope,  love  and  gratitude,  as 
thej  are  employed  by  Grod  and  man. 

This  doctrine  is  taught  by  all  theologians,  except 
those  who  hold  that  the  sin  of  Adam  so  ruined  the 
human  mind,  that  there  is  no  power  of  any  kind  to 
obey  God,  except  as  he  gives  new  capacities.  No 
quotations  will  be  given  to  establish  this  point,  be- 
cause, it  is  believed,  that  no  one  will  question  it. 

No  quotations  are  needed  to  show  that  the  Augus- 
tinian  creeds  and  theologians  agree  with  the  common- 
sense  system,  in  teaching  that  the  soul  is  immortal — 
that  our  destiny  in  a  future  state  depends  on  our 
conduct  in  this  life — ^that  there  is  to  be  an  eternal 
separation  of  the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  whose 
immortality  will  be  happy  or  miserable  according  to 
their  characters. 


CHAPTEE    XXXIl. 

AUGUSTINIAN"     CEEEDS    AND     THEOLOGIANS     CONTRA- 
DICT    THE     COMMON-SENSE      SYSTEM,      AND      THUS, 


The  preceding  chapter  shows  the  agreement  of  dis- 
tinguished Augustinian  theologians  with  the  leading 
points  of  the  common-sense  system.  We  next  are  to 
notice  the  particulars  in  which  these  theologians  and 
the  Augustinian  creeds  contradict  the  common-sense 
system,  and  thus,  also,  contradict  themselves. 

The  grand  point,  which  involves  these  contradic- 


210    AUGUSTINIAN  THEOLOGIANS 

tions,  is  the  dogma  tliat  all  mankind  have  a  depraved 
nature  consequent  on  the  sin  of  Adam,  which  makes 
it  certain  that  every  voluntary  act  of  every  human 
mind  is  *'  sin,  and  only  sin,"  until  this  depravity  of 
nature  is  more  or  less  rectified  by  the  Spirit  of 
God.  The  opposite  of  this  is  the  common-sense  doc- 
trine that  all  men  have  a  perfect  nature^  created  by 
Grod,  which  is  unchanged  and  not  in  any  way  de- 
praved by  the  sin  of  Adam. 

As  involved  in  this  common-sense  view,  true  virtue 
consists  in  the  right  action  of  a  perfect  nature,  as  it  now 
is.  In  opposition,  Augustinianism  teaches  that  true 
virtue  consists  in  the  right  action  of  a  depraved  na- 
ture after  it  has  been  more  or  less  renewed  by  the 
Spirit  of  God. 

Common  sense  claims  that  the  indispensablo  req- 
uisites to  secure  right  voluntary  action  are,  hnowhdge^ 
training  and  motives^  for  which  we  are  dependent  on 
God,  on  man,  and  on  self,  conjointly.  In  opposition, 
Augustinianism  claims  that  knowledge,  training  and 
motives  are  of  no  avail  to  secure  true  virtue,  until  the 
damage  done  by  Adam's  sin  to  the  nature  of  every 
human  mind,  is  more  or  less  rectified,  and  that  for  this 
we  are  entirely  dependent  on  the  Spirit  of  God. 

Common  sense  claims  that  man,  at  birth  and  through 
life,  is  entirely  unable  to  obey  many  of  the  physical, 
social  and  moral  laws  of  God,  for  want  of  adequate 
knowledge,  training  and  motives ;  but  that  he  is  fully 
able  to  obey  these  laws  as  fast  as  he  has  the  appropri- 
ate knowledge,  training  and  motives,  and  that  before 
regeneration  he  does  perform  truly  virtuous  acts.  Au- 
gustinianism, in  opposition,  claims  that  man  never 
obeys  the  laws  of  God  acceptably  lintil  the  Spirit  of 


CONTRADICT    THEMSELVES.  211 

God  more  or  less  rectifies  tlie  depraved  nature  conse- 
quent on  Adam's  sin,  and  tliat  previous  to  tliis  influ- 
ence of  the  Spirit,  every  voluntary  act  is  "  sin,  and 
only  sin."* 

Common  sense  teaches  that  the  commencement  of 
"  a  new  Hfe  "  consists,  not  in  the  change  of  the  nature 
of  man,  but  in  the  commencement  of  a  ruling  purpose 
to  obey  all  the  laws  of  God,  which  purpose  may  be 
an  unconscious,  gradual  process  by  educational  train- 
ing, or  it  may  be  an  instantaneous  and  conscious  act. 
Augustinianism  teaches  that  "regeneration"  or  the 
"  new  birth"  consists  in  the  re-creation  or  change  of 
the  nature  of  mind,  so  as,  more  or  less,  to  remedy  the 
depravity  consequent  on  Adam's  sin. 

Common  sense  teaches  that  every  volition  of  every 
mind,  which  in  act  and  intention  is  conformed  to  the 
laws  of  rectitude,  is  truly  virtuous  in  every  proper 
use  of  the  term,  without  any  reference  to  the  question 
either  of  a  ruling  purpose  or  a  change  of  nature.  Au- 
gustinianism teaches  that  every  volition  of  every  mind 
is  sin,  and  only  sin,  previous  to  the  act  of  regenera- 
tion accomplished  by  the  Spirit  of  God.f 

To  illustrate  the  above  by  examples,  suppose  that 
a  child  is  trained  to  deny  itself,  to  relieve  suffering,  or 
to  make  others  happy.  In  its  earlier  efforts  this  is  very 

*  The  Arminians  hold  that  Christ's  death  has  purchased  the  return 
of  God's  Spirit  withdrawn  for  Adam's  sin,  and  that  owing  to  this  aid, 
man  has  some  power  to  obey  God  previous  to  regeneration,  so  that  all 
the  doings  of  the  unregenerate  are  not  sin. 

f  Those  new  school  Calvinists,  who  teach  that  regeneration  consists 
in  th-e  formation  of  a  ruling  purpose  by  man  himself,  hold  that  this" 
never  takes  place  until  the  Spirit  of  God  more  or  less  rectifies  the  de- 
praved nature  consequent  on  Adam's  sin,  and  that  previous  to  regene- 
ration ievery  moral  act  of  every  mind  is  "  sin,  and  only  sin." 


212  AUGUSTINIAN    THEOLOGIANS 

difficult,  thougTi  by  practice  the  principle  of  habit  ren- 
ders it  more  and  more  easy.  Common  sense  teaches 
that  the  first  act  of  self-denial  for  the  best  good  of 
others,  in  which  the  aim  or  intention  is  to  do  right, 
is  truly  virtuous.  For  the  thing  done  is  right,  and 
the  motive  or  intention  is  right.  But  Augustinian- 
ism  says  no ;  such  an  act  is  "  sin,  and  only  sin,"  pre- 
vious to  regeneration,  though  it  is  true  virtue  after 
regeneration. 

Again,  a  young  man  is  trained  to  abhor  mean- 
ness and  deceit  and  to  suffer  any  thing  rather  than 
to  violate  his  plighted  faith.  He  is  brought  into 
an  extremity  where,  by  a  false  statement,  he  can 
escape  poverty  and  disgrace  to  himself  and  his  fam- 
ily. He  sacrifices  all  rather  than  to  violate  his  word 
and  honor. 

If  he  is  not  a  regenerate  man,  Augustinianism  says 
this  act  is  not  truly  virtuous,  but  is  '*  sin,  and  only 
sin."  Common  sense  says,  it  is  a  virtuous  act  in  every 
sense  of  the  term  as  used  among  men. 

We  have  shown  by  quotations  that  Augustinian 
theologians  teach  that  man's  nature  is  the  only  guide 
to  the  nature  of  God,  and,  as  his  work  and  image,  is 
perfect  in  construction.  At  the  same  time  they  teach 
that  man's  nature  is  so  totally  depraved  that  it  never 
acts  morally  right,  in  a  single  Id  stance,  until  it  is  re- 
generated by  God,  and  that  all  sin  is  the  natural  result 
of  this  depravity  of  nature. 

In  consequence  of  this  contradictory  starting-point, 
they  proceed  to  other  contradictory  instruction.  For 
example,  in  the  education  of  very  young  children 
most  theologians,  of  whatever  school,  teach  them  that 
to  speak  the  truth,  to  obey  parents,  to  deny  one's  self 


CONTRADICT  THEMSELVES.     213 

for  tlie  good  of  others,  is  right,  good  and  virtuous. 
They  teach  that  when  little  children  act  thus,  be- 
fore regeneration,  they  not  only  act  virtuously,  but 
that  Ood  approves  and  loves  them  for  it.  In  do- 
ing this,  they  use  the  words  good^  right  and  virtuous^ 
in  the  ordinary  sense  in  which  men  understand  these 
terms. 

But  at  the  same  time,  the  same  theologians  are  teach- 
ing from  the  pulpit  and  the  press,  that  every  voluntary 
act  of  every  child  is  "  sin,  and  only  sin,"  previous  to 
regeneration  ;  that  there  is  no  good,  right  and  vir- 
tuous act  in  an  unregenerated  mind,  and  that  God 
feels  no  approbation  or  complacency  in  such  acts  ot 
the  unregenerated  as  the  above,  which  are  called 
virtuous,  but  are  really  sin. 

It  is  manifest  that  the  educational  training  of  the 
young  must  be  radically  diverse  just  in  proportion  as 
one  or  the  other  of  these  two  systems  prevails. 

On  the  Augustinian  theory,  there  is  no  hope  of  any 
right  moral  action,  or  truly  virtuous  conduct,  until 
the  depraved  nature  transmitted  from  Adam  is  regen- 
erated. On  the  common-sense  theory,  every  attempt 
of  a  parent  or  educator,  and  every  effort  of  a  child  to 
secure  what  is  best  and  right  with  the  intention  thus  to 
secure  it,  is  truly  virtuous,  and  every  repetition  is  val- 
uable as  tending  to  secure  virtuous  habits  and  charac- 
ter. 

On  the  Augustinian  theory,  religious  instruction  is 
only  an  appointed  mode  by  which  God  chooses  to  re- 
generate a  depraved  nature.  It  is  a  process  for  secur- 
ing a  new  nature  from  God.  On  the  common-sense 
theory,  religious  training  is  a  process  for  securing  the 
development  and  right  action  of  mind  by  the  influ- 


214       AUGUSTIKIAN    THEOLOGIANS 

ences  of  knowledge,  training  and  motives,  and  with- 
out any  change  of  its  nature. 

It  is  also  clear  that  these  two  systems  must  be  very 
diverse  in  reference  to  the  interpretations  of  the  Cre- 
ator's will  as  gained  by  reason  or  by  revelations  from 
God. 

On  the  Augustinian  theory,  mind  is  so  totally  de- 
praved as  to  be  incapable  of  interpreting  correctly, 
either  the  natural  teachings  of  reason  and  experience, 
or  the  recorded  revelations  from  Grod.  Owing  to  this, 
authorized  interpreters  of  God's  will  are  indispensable. 
This  makes  the  whole  human  race  dependent  on  a 
class  of  men  authorized  by  God  to  interpret  his  natu- 
ral laws  and  revealed  will. 

On  the  contrary,  the  common-sense  theory  claims 
that  every  mind,  in  proportion  as  its  powers  are  cul- 
tivated and  developed,  has  the  means  of  discovering 
the  end  for  which  all  things  are  created,  and  of  inter- 
preting the  teachings  of  reason  and  experience,  and 
also  of  interpreting  any  revealed  records  of  God's 
wiU. 

It  thus  appears  that  theologians  and  creeds  that 
adopt  the  Augustinian  theory  contradict  themselves 
mainly  in  these  two  points : 

First,  they  teach  that  man's  nature  is  depraved  and 
that  it  is  not  depraved. 

Next,  that  previous  to  regeneration,  men  do  not 
perform  any  truly  virtuous  acts,  and  yet  that  while 
unregenerated  they  do  perform  such  acts. 

The  quotation  from  creeds  and  theologians,  in  pre- 
ceding chapters,  is  proof  that  they  teach  that  man's 
nature  is  thus  depraved,  and  that  previous  to  regen- 
eration he  never  performs  a  single  truly  virtuous  act. 


CONTRADICT    THEMSJJLVES.  215 

This  and  the  preceding  chapter  present  some  of  the 
evidence  that  they  teach  the  opposite. 

The  following  is  submitted  as  still  further  evidence 
of  such  contradictions. 

In  the  first  place,  it  is  allowed  by  all,  that  the  Au- 
•gustinian  creeds  and  theologians  teach  that  man,  as  a 
race^  including  every  individual,  has  a  depraved  na- 
ture. The  question,  then,  all  turns  on  the  meaning  of 
the  word  nature,  and  whether  they  affirm  its  depravity 
in  the  same  sense  as  they  affirm  that  in  nature  man  is 
the  living  image  of  the  living  God  and  our  only  guide 
to  a  knowledge  of  him. 

It  is  claimed  that  they  do  use  the  word  nature  in 
one  and  the  same  sense  when  they  affirm  that  man's 
nature  is  and  is  not  depraved.  In  proof  of  this  we 
must  resort  to  our  lexicographers  who  have  collected 
the  various  senses  in  which  mankind  use  the  word 
nature.  And  here  we  must  again  recognize  the  fact 
that  the  true  meaning  of  every  word  is  settled  simply 
by  ascertaining  ivJiat  meaning  men  attach  to  it  when  they 
use  it. 

In  examining  our  dictionaries,  we  shall  find  that 
the  word  nature  is  used  sometimes  to  signify  every 
thing  that  God  has  created ;  as  when  it  is  said,  "  all 
nature  speaks  its  Maker's  praise."  Sometimes,  by  a 
figurative  use,  the  Author  of  all  things  is  called  Na- 
ture, as  when  it  is  said  that  ''  ISTature  paints  the  flow- 
ers and  spreads  her  repasts." 

No  one  will  claim  that  either  of  these  is  the  sense 
in  which  the  word  is  used  in  reference  to  the  nature 
of  the  mind  of  man  as  a  race. 

The  leading  and  primary  signification  of  the  word 
nature  is  that  which  is  intended  and  understood  when 


216       AUGUSTINIAN    THEOLOGIANS 

we  say  that  "  the  nature  of  a  design  or  construction 
is  proof  of  the  character  and  intention  of  the  au- 
thor." It  is  in  this  sense  that  men  use  the  word  when 
they  speak  of  the  nature  of  animals,  the  nature  of 
trees,  and  the  nature  of  the  soul. 

In  this  use,  it  has  but  one  signification,  and  that  is, 
tJiose  qualities,  powers  and  faculties  which  are  discovered 
hy  experience  and  ohservation.  Or  in  other  words,  when 
we  discover  the  qualities  of  a  thing,  how  it  acts,  and 
how  it  is  acted  upon,  we  learn  its  nature. 

In  regard  to  all  other  existences  except  niind,  the 
only  mode  of  discovering  their  nature  is  to  ascertain 
by  experience  and  observation  how  they  invariably 
appear  and  act.  Thus  we  decide  that  it  is  the  nature 
of  water  to  run  down  hill  by  finding  that  it  invariably 
does  so ;  and  that  it  is  the  nature  of  smoke  to  rise  in 
the  atmosphere  by  observing  that  it  invariably  as- 
cends. 

Owing  to  this,  mankind  often  use  the  word  nature 
as  signifying  that  which  is  according  to  ordinary  experi- 
ence. That  is  to  say,  the  same  word  is  used  to  express 
the  qualities  and  powers  of  things,  and  also  to  express 
that  invariable  experience  by  which  we  learn  these 
qualities  and  powers.  What  is  according  to  our  or- 
dinary experience  we  say  is  according  to  nature,  and 
what  is  contrary  to  ordinary  experience  is  contrary  to 
nature. 

Thus  it  is  according  to  nature  for  water  to  run  down 
hill,  and  it  is  contrary  to  nature  for  it  to  run  up  hill. 

It  is  mind,  in  distinction  from  matter,  which  has 
the  power  of  willing,  and  this  is  a  power  which  never 
is  exercised  invariably  one  way  or  another. 

But  theologians  have  practiced  this  fallacy  on  them- 


CONTRADICT    THEMSELVES.  217 

selves  and  others.  They  first  assume,  what  is  contrary 
to  fact,  that  mind  invariably  chooses  one  way,  and  that 
is  wrong,  from  birth  to  regeneration.  This  being  as- 
sumed without  proof,  they  claim  that  the  nature  of  the 
human  mind  is  thus  proved  to  be  depraved,  and  to- 
tally so. 

Having  thus,  as  they  imagine,  established  its  de- 
praved voluntary  nature,  they  claim  that,  like  all 
other  things,  the  mind  must  act  according  to  its  nature^ 
which,  being  wholly  depraved,  all  its  moral  acts  are 
consequently  depraved. 

This  is  what  logicians  call  arguing  in  a  circle  ;  i.  e., 
they  prove  that  it  acts,  invariably  wrong  because  it  is 
totally  depraved,  and  it  is  totally  depraved  because  it 
acts  invariably  wrong. 

But  common  sense  denies  the  starting  assumption  ; 
i,  e.j  the  invariably  wrong  volitions  of  every  mind  from 
birth  to  regeneration.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  claimed 
that  every  choice  which  secures  enjoyment  without 
violating  law,  is  right,  and  that  whenever  a  mind 
chooses  what  is  right,  with  the  intention  to  act  right, 
the  choice  is  a  truly  virtuous  act,  and  that  all  men 
make  such  choices  very  often  before  regeneration. 

Whatever  is  according  to  ordinary  experience  in 
the  qualities  and  action  of  mind,  is  said  to  be  accord- 
ing to  its  nature.  It  is  according  to  the  nature  of 
mind,  then,  sometimes  to  choose  what  is  good,  right 
and  virtuous,  and  at  other  times  to  choose  what  is 
evil  and  wrong,  according  to  its  knowledge,  tempta- 
tions and  habits.  Such  a  case  never  was  known  as  a 
mind  that  invariably  chose  wrong. 

In  view  of  the  preceding,  it  is  maintained  that  the 
word  nature,  as  applied  to  mind,  as  settled  by  lexicog- 

10 


218  AUGUSTINIAN    THEOLOGIANS 

raphers,  is  always  used  to  signify  the  same  as  its  con- 
stitutional powers  and  faculties^  and  that  this  is  the  sense 
in  which  it  is  employed  when  we  say  ''  the  nature  of  a 
construction  or  design  is  proof  of  the  character  and  in- 
tention of  the  author." 

We  are  now  prepared  to  show  that  theologians  use 
the  word  nature  in  this  same  sense  when  they  affirm 
that  it  is  totally  depraved,  and  when,  at  the  same  time, 
they  teach  that  it  is  the  image  of  God,  and  our  only 
guide  to  his  nature  and  character. 

We  shall  first  present  the  evidence  that  they  use 
the  word  in  this  sense,  when  they  teach  that  every 
human  mind  is  so  depraved  in  nature  that  from  birth 
to  regeneration  every  moral  act  is  sin,  and  only  sin. 

The  first  item  of  evidence  is  the  fact  that  all  the 
other  meanings  of  the  word,  in  our  dictionaries,  ex- 
cept this,  can  be  shown  to  be  not  the  ones  in  which 
theologians  use  the  word  in  reference  to  men  as  a  race, 
so  that  this  use  is  the  only  one  remaining.  They  must 
use  it  in  this  sense,  as  the  only  one  left,  all  others  being 
necessarily  excluded. 

Again,  the  mode  by  which  they  attempt  to  prove  that 
man  has  a  depraved  nature,  shows  that  they  use  the  word 
in  this  sense.  For  they  exhibit  the  wrong  action^  or  sin- 
ful feelings  and  conduct  of  the  race,  as  the  chief  proof. 
Their  argument  is  this :  the  nature  of  a  thing  is  proved 
by  its  qualities,  how  it  acts,  and  how  it  is  acted  upon. 
The  human  mind  invariably  acts  depraved,  therefore 
its  nature  is  depraved.  ISTo  one  will  deny  that  theo- 
logians always  present  the  wicked  feelings  and  con- 
duct of  children  and  of  men  as  the  proofs  of  a  depraved 
nature. 

It  is  true,  that  in  doing  this  they  misstate  facts,  and 


CONTRADICT    THEMSELVES.  219 

maintain  that  all  the  actions  of  men  are  sin,  and  only 
sin.  This  contradicts  experience  and  common  sense, 
which  affirm  that  the  human  mind  sometimes  acts 
right  and  sometimes  wrong,  from  the  first ;  showing 
that  the  nature  of  mind  is  such  that  it  naturally  acts 
right  as  well  as  wrong.  But  this  attempt  proves  that 
they  used  the  word  in  the  sense  here  stated. 

Again  :  that  theologians  use  the  word  in  this  sense, 
is  manifest  from  their  attempts  to  relieve  the  charac- 
ter of  God  from  the  charge  of  being  "  the  author  of 
sin."  They  can  not  deny  that  the  nature  of  a  con- 
trivance proves  the  character  and  intention  of  the  au- 
thor, and  that,  if  God  is  the  author  of  man's  depravity 
by  a  wrong  construction  or  nature  of  mind,  it  would  be 
proof  that  he  is  the  author  of  all  the  sin  resulting  from 
it,  and  thus  a  depraved  character. 

Instead  of  denying  this  use  of  the  term,  they  aLow 
it,  and  then  try  to  make  man  himself  the  author  of 
this  depraved  nature,  either  hy^  or  m,  or  hefore  Adam. 
That  is,  they  allow  that  man's  mind  is  wrong  in  con- 
struction, but  claim  that  he  himself  is  the  author  of 
this  wrong. 

Again:  that  theologians  use  the  word  nature  in 
this  sense,  is  proved  by  their  description  of  the  de- 
pravity intended  by  them.  When  they  are  urged  to 
point  out  what  the  depraved  nature  of  man  consists 
in,  they  always  state  something  which  shows  it  to  be 
wrong  in  construction^  and  which  is  exhibited  in  the 
wrong  action  of  mind. 

There  are  these  following  methods  of  describing 
this  depravity,  viz. : 

1.  It  is  called  a  hias^  propensity^  or  inclination  to  sin. 

2.  It  is  called  an  unbalanced  state  of  the  faculties. 


220       AUGUSTINIAN    THEOLOGIANS 

8.  It  is  called  a  habit  of  sinning  formed  in  a  pre- 
existent  state. 

4.  It  is  called  a  wrong  combinatioriy  or  proportion^ 
in  the  mental  faculties. 

5.  It  is  called  a  state  resulting  from  the  deprivation 
of  God's  Spirit. 

It  will  now  be  shown  that  each  and  all  of  these 
equally  involve  the  idea  of  that  malformation  or 
wrong  construction  which  proves  its  author  depraved. 

The  first  is  the  most  common  method.  On  this 
view,  it  is  claimed  that  the  minds  of  angels  and  of 
Adam  were  constructed  with  such  a  bias  or  tendency 
to  good  as  secured  their  perfect  action  for  a  given 
period.  The  mind  of  man,  on  the  contrary,  begins 
existence  here  so  constructed  that  it  has  a  contrary 
bias  to  evil ;  so  that  it  never,  in  a  single  instance, 
chooses  right  till  regenerated. 

The  angels  and  Adam  had  a  holy  nature,  meaning  a 
bias,  which  God  created.  Mankind  have  a  contrary 
bias,  whicb  is  a  depraved  nature,  and  of  this,  man  is  the 
author,  either  in,  or  by,  or  before  Adam.  And  they 
all  allow,  that  if  God  had  created  this  depraved  bias,  or 
depraved  nature,  he  would  be  *'  the  author  of  sin." 

The  second  mode  is,  the  claim  that  man's  deprav- 
ity consists  in  an  unbalanced  state  of  his  faculties  or 
propensities.  The  angels  and  Adam  were  created  by 
God  with  the  proper  balance,  and  this  is  the  holy  na- 
ture made  by  God.  Man  is  born  with  an  unbalanced 
state  of  the  faculties,  and  this  was  created  by  man 
himself,  either  by,  or  in,  or  before  Adam.  Now  the 
balance  of  the  faculties  is  as  much  a  part  of  the  con- 
struction of  mind  as  any  thing  else,  and  if  God  cre- 
ated this  depraved,  he  is  proved  to  be  depraved. 


CONTRADICT    THEMSELVES.  221 

The  third  mode  is,  the  claim  that  the  depravity  of 
man's  mind  consists  in  a  habit  of  sinning.  On  this 
view,  God  created  man's  mind  aright,  in  all  respects, 
in  a  preexistent  state.  In  this  normal  condition  of 
mind,  every  propensity  was  toward  not  only  good,  but 
to  the  test  good,  while  there  was  sufficient  'knowledge 
of  right  created  also,  to  save  from  all  mistakes  of  judg- 
ment as  to  what  is  best  and  right.  In  this  perfect  state 
some  minds  began  to  sin,  and  thus  formed  a  habit  of 
sinning,  and  were  then  sent  into  this  world  to  be  re- 
formed. 

Here  it  is  plain,  that  the  depravity  intended  is  de- 
pravity of  construction.  For  habit^  as  men  use  the 
term,  expresses  the  fact  that  repetition  in  the  use  of 
any  faculty  increases  its  power.  It  is  a  change  in  the 
constitutional  construction  of  mind  induced  by  use. 
For  example,  a  child  has  httle  constitutional  power 
of  mind  to  reason  or  to  calculate  figures.  By  use, 
this  deficiency  of  construction  is  modified. 

Hahit^  then,  modifies  the  constitutional  organization 
of  mind. 

This  mode  of  describing  the  depravity  of  mind 
teaches  the  misconstruction  of  constitutional  organiza- 
tion as  much  as  all  the  others,  but  it  furnishes  another 
mode  by  which  it  was  induced,  so  as  to  ma^ke  man  the 
author  in  a  way  that  is  comprehensible,  and  not  absurd.^ 

The  fourth  mode  is  the  claim  that  the  depravity  of 
the  human  mind  consists  in  the  disparities^  or  varieties^ 
of  constitutional  organization. 

It  has  been  shown  that  such  disparities,  as  parts  of 

a  vast  system  in  which  the  best  good  of  the  whole  is 

the  best  good  of  each  part,  are  indispensable  to  the 

perfect  construction  of  mind  in  relation  to  that  system. 

*NoteE. 


222       AUGUSTINIAN    THEOLOGIANS 

But  the  depravity  claimed  is,  that  which  is  common 
to  every  mind,  and  is  so  total  that  not  a  single  mind, 
however  highly  endowed,  ever,  even  in  one  case,  acts 
virtuously  till  regenerated.  Thus  the  best  in  mental 
construction  are  as  totally  depraved  as  the  worst.  At 
the  same  time,  it  is  clear  that  it  is  constitutional  mal- 
formation that  is  taught,  and  nothing  else. 

The  fifth  mode  of  describing  the  depravity  of  mind 
is  that  it  consists  in  the  deprivation  of  God's  Spirit. 

The  result  of  this  deprivation  is  thus  described  by 
Dr.  Hodge,  of  the  Princeton  Calvinist  school  of  di- 
vines : 

"  In  consequence  of  this  withdrawal  we  begin  to  exist  in  moral 
darkness,  destitute  of  a  disposition  to  deKght  in  Grod." 

Arminius,  the  chief  theologian  of  the  Methodists, 
describes  it  thus : 

"  The  wiU  of  man,  with  respect  to  the  true  good,  is  not  only- 
wounded,  bruised,  inferior,  crooked  and  attenuated,  but  is  like- 
wise captivated,  destroyed  and  lost ;  and  has  no  powers  whatevert 
except  such  as  are  excited  by  grace." 

Thus  the  presence  of  Clod's  Spirit  in  Adam's  mind, 
according  to  Dr.  Hodge,  insured  a  '^  disposition"  to  de- 
light in  God,  which  was  lost  by  its  withdrawal.  Ac- 
cording to  Arminius,  this  withdrawal  so  affected  the 
whole  race,  that  "  in  respect  to  the  true  good,^^  the  will 
of  man  has  no  powers  whatever^  except  such  as  are  ex- 
cited by  grace" — that  is,  by  a  measured  return  of 
God's  Spirit,  withdrawn  for  Adam's  sin,  which  return 
was  purchased  by  Christ's  death. 

It  is  clear,  that  it  is  the  powers  and  faculties  of  mind 
that  are  meant  here,  in  this  explanation  of  the  deprav- 
ity of  man's  nature. 


AND    THEOLOGIANS.  223 

Thiis  it  is  shown  that  every  attempt  to  explain  what 
depravity  consists  in,  by  theologians,  results  in  their 
teaching  a  constitutional  malformation^  which  proves 
the  author  of  the  construction  to  be  depraved. 

We  will  now  present  the  evidence,  that  theologians 
contradict  themselves,  and  deny  that  they  use  the  word 
nature  in  the  sense  of  constitutional  organization  or 
construction,  and  maintain  that  they  use  it  in  some 
other  sense. 

In  all  creeds  and  all  theological  teachings,  the  au- 
thors expressly  disclaim  that  they  maintain  any  thing 
which  makes  God  "  the  author  of  sin."  And  they  al- 
low, that  making  God  the  creator  of  a  depraved  na- 
ture, would  make  him  the  author  of  sin.  Therefore,  to 
escape  the  difficulty,  they  claim  that  God  is  the  author 
of  one  nature,  which  is  perfect  and  in  his  own  image, 
and  that  there  is  another  nature  which  man  himself 
made,  either  hy,  or  in,  or  before  Adam,  which  is  de- 
praved. Then  when  they  are  driven  to  identify  the 
nature  that  God  made  and  the  nature  that  man  made, 
they  are  again  at  fault.  Man  really  has  but  one  na- 
ture, and  that  is  the  nature  which  is  discovered  by  his 
qualities  and  actions,  as  learned  by  experience.  There 
is  no  other  nature  conceivable,  and  no  other  idea  that 
men  ever  attach  to  the  word  when  applied  to  the  mind 
or  soul  of  man.  Therefore,  theologians  really  do  use 
it  in  the  sense  which  they  deny,  for  there  is  no  other. 

Again,  theologians  deny  that  they  teach  "physical 
depravity"  and  "  physical  regeneration,"  and  the  only 
intelligible  sense  of  this  disclaimer  is,  that  they  do  not 
teach  depravity  of  construction  and  the  reformation  of 
this  depravity  of  construction.  But,  as  before  shown, 
when  they  describe  the  depravity  and  regeneration, 


224:  AUGUSTIISriAN    CREEDS 

tliej  make  out  wliat  actually  is  physical  depravity  and 
physical  regeneration,  and  nothing  else. 

Again,  when  they  attempt  to  describe  what  they 
mean,  one  class  of  theologians — i.  e.,  new  school  Cal- 
vinists — teach  that  the  whole  depravity  consists  in  a 
want  of  "  right  willing  J''  And  this  is  exactly  what  the 
common-sense  system  teaches — i.  e.,  that  the  depravity 
of  man  is  in  the  wrong  action  and  not  in  the  wrong 
construction  of  mind.  And  yet  when  they  are  charged 
with  holding  the  Pelagian  doctrine  of  perfect  mental 
construction,  they  deny  it,  and  say  they  teach  deprav- 
ity of  nature. 

As  an  example  of  this,  is  presented  the  following 
extract  from  the  writings  of  Dr.  Bennet  Tyler,  the 
president  of  a  theological  seminary  established  to  sus- 
tain the  New  England  theology  of  the  President  Ed- 
wards' type,  in  opposition  to  the  supposed  Pelagian 
innovations  of  the  New  Haven  theologians : 

"  Grod  has  endowed  you  with  understanding  to  perceive  the  rule 
of  duty,  with  conscience  to  feel  obligation,  and  with  will  to  choose 
between  good  and  evil.  Possessing  these  powers,  you  are  com- 
plete moral  agents,  and  have  all  the  abiUty  to  obey  the  commands 
of  God  that  you  ever  will  have,  or  ever  can  have  —  we  do  not 
mean  that  all  the  powers  and  faculties  of  his  (man's)  soul  are  so 
impaired  that  he  coulcL  not  do  his  duty  if  he  would,  but  that  he 
will  not  do  his  duty  when  he  can." 

In  reading  the  above,  one  would  suppose  that  there 
was  nothing  wrong  at  all  in  the  construction  of  the 
human  mind,  and  that  the  whole  difficulty  consisted 
in  not  willing  aright — that  is,  that  the  depravity  is  not 
in  a  wrong  nature^  but  in  the  wrong  action  of  a  perfect 
nature.  And  yet,  at  the  time  of  this  writing,  the  au- 
thor was  the  leader  of  an  effort  to  oppose  this  very 


AND    THEOLOGIANS.  225 

doctrine,  wliicli  was  supposed  to  be  taught  by  tlie  'New 
Haven  divines. 

In  a  recent  work  by  the  chief  theological  teacher  of 
the  leading  Baptist  Seminary,*  we  find  similar  con- 
tradictory statements.     He  thus  writes : 

"  Regeneration  is  not  only  characterized  by  the  sacred  writers  as 
a  creative  act,  by  which  the  subject  of  it  becomes  a  new  creature 
in  Christ  Jesus,  and  a  generation  from  above,  by  which  the  soul  is 
brought  into  new  spiritual  life ;  but  also  a  washing,  a  bathing,  ef- 
fected by  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  which  the  polluted  soul  is  cleansed  ; 
as  an  illumination,  by  which  it  is  filled  with  the  knowledge  of 
God,  and  qualiJSed  to  appreciate  spiritual  things.  The  eye  of  con- 
science is  cleared,  the  desires  and  affections  are  renewed  and  flow 
into  new  channels,  and  the  selfish  views,  prejudices  and  motives, 
which  formerly  reigned  in  the  soul,  are  superseded  by  faith,  love 
and  hope,  resting  in  Christ,  and  leading  to  every  good  work.  The 
entire  spirit  is  readjusted  morally,  its  aspirations,  tendencies  and 
relations  to  God  are  rectified,  and  it  enters,  so  to  speak,  upon  a 
new  life." 

In  this  passage,  regeneration  is  called  "  a  creative 
act"  changing  the  conscience^  the  desires^  the  views, 
the  prejudices  and  the  motives — so  that  "  the  entire  s^pirii 
is  readjusted^''  and  all  its  "  aspirations,  tendencies  and 
relations  to  God  are  rectified."  It  is  not  in  the  power 
of  language  to  express  a  change  in  the  faculties  and 
constitutional  elements  of  mind  more  entirely  than  this ; 
and  yet  the  very  next  paragraph  reads  thus : 

"  But  all  this  pertains  to  the  moral  condition  of  the  soul,  afford- 
ing no  evidence  that  its  essence  has  been  changed  ;  that  any  faculty 
or  constitutive  element  has  been  added,  any  fresh  vigor  or  new  prin- 
ciple of  existence  infused" 

*  "  State  of  the  Impenitent  Dead,"  by  Alvah  Hovey,  D.D. 
10* 


226  AUGUSTINIAN    CEEEDS 

But  tbe  most  remarkable  illustration  of  self-con- 
tradiction among  theologians,  involved  in  every  at- 
tempt to  maintain  a  depraved  nature  consequent  on 
Adam's  sin,  is  found  in  the  teachings  of  Dr.  Taylor, 
the  leader  of  the  New  Haven  school  of  divines. 

In  his  Concio  ad  Glerum,  in  18^8,  one  aim  probably 
was,  to  meet  the  charges  against  himself,  of  teaching 
the  Pelagian  tenet,  that  man's  depravity  consists,- not 
in  nature,  but  in  action.  In  reference  to  this  he  writes 
thus: 

"  Men  are  entirely  depraved  by  nature.  I  do  not  thereby  mean 
that  their  nature  is  itself  sinful,  nor  that  their  nature  is  the  phys- 
ical or  efficient  cause  of  their  sinning ;  but  I  mean  that  their  na- 
ture is  the  occasion  or  reason  of  their  sinning — that  such  is  their 
nature,  that  in  all  the  appropriate  circumstances  of  their  being 
they  will  sin  and  only  sin'^ 

Again — 

"  It  is  important  to  say  that  sin  is  by  nature,  owing  to  propen- 
sities to  inferior  good,  with  a  difference  between  Adam's  mind 
and  ours — though  we  can  not  assert  that,  in  which  this  difference 
may  consist; — that  our  propensities  are  the  same  in  Mnd,  though 
different  in  degree  from  those  of  Adam ;  that  perhaps  this  distinc- 
tion may  consist  in  mental  differences,  or  in  superior  tendencies, 
compared  with  Adam's  to  natural  good,  and  less  tendency  to  the 
highest  good." 

In  the  above  extract,  it  is  as  clear  as  language  can 
make  it,  that  Dr.  Taylor  taught,  in  1828,  that  in  men 
sin  hy  nature  is  owing  to  propensities  to  inferior  good, 
which  are  "  different  from  Adam's,"  who  was  created 
perfect,  and  that  this  is  "  the  occasion  or  reason"  of 
their  sinning,  and  that  "  such  is  their  nature,  that  in  all 
appropriate  circumstances  of  their  being,  they  will  sin, 
and  only  sin.''^     This  must  mean  the  construction  of 


AND    THEOLOGIANS.  227 

mind.  He  does  not  claim  to  describe,  certainly,  wliat 
this  difference  is  between  the  nature  of  Adam  and 
that  of  his  descendants ;  but  he  maintains  that  while 
Adam's  nature  was  not  so  created  by  Grod  at  first,  the 
nature  of  all  his  descendants  is  so  depraved,  that,  as 
the  result,  they  "  sin,  and  only  sin,"  till  regenerated. 

But,  in  contradiction  to  this,  is  presented  the  extract 
below,  sent  by  Dr.  Taylor  to  the  author,  in  a  letter  in 
which  he  was  attempting  to  show  that  he  did  not 
teach  the  depravity  of  man  in  his  constitutional  fac- 
ulties. And  he  claims  that  what  he  thus  writes  is 
what  he  has  "  always  taught :" 

"  I  have  always  taught  that  man,  after  the  fall  of  Adam,  was  as 
truly  created  in  God's  image  as  was  Adam  ;  that  Christ  was  tempt- 
ed in  all  points  hke  as  we  are ;  that  the  stronger  are  our  inferior 
propensities,  if  we  govern  them,  as  we  can,  by  the  morally  right 
act  of  the  will,  the  greater  is  the  moral  excellence  of  the  act.  I 
do  not  maintain  that  man  has  full  power  to  change  his  depraved 
nature  without  divine  aid — for  I  have  never  supposed  that  he  has 
a  depraved  nature  in  ant  sense,  or  a  corrupt  nature,  much  less  a 
sinful  nature,  to  he  changed ;  but  rather,  that  in  nature  he  is  hke 
God.  In  discussions  I  have  always  opposed  the  use  of  language 
by  your  father  and  Mr.  Barnes,  of  a  corrupt  nature  not  sinful^ 

Kow  it  is  not  possible  to  make  these  two  extracts 
any  thing  other  than  exact  contradictions.  For  in  one 
he  teaches  that  men  are  so  totally  depraved  in  nature^ 
that  "  in  all  the  appropriate  circumstances  of  their  be- 
ing they  will  sin,  and  only  sin.'''' 

In  the  other,  he  says  of  man,  "I  have  never  sup- 
posed that  he  has  a  depraved  nature,  in  any  sense,  or 
a  corrupt  nature,  much  less  a  sinful  nature,  to  be 
changed  ;  but  rather  that  in  nature  he  is  like  God." 

If  it  is  asked,  "  How  is  it  possible  that  a  man,  at 


228  THE    AUGUSTINIAN    THEORY 

once  so  honest  and  so  acute,  can  thus  contradict  him- 
self and  not  perceive  it  ?"  it  may  be  replied,  that  he 
has  done  it  no  more  than  does  every  other  theologian 
and  every  creed  that  teaches  at  once,  that  the  nature 
of  man  is  so  depraved  at  birth  that  every  moral  act  is 
sin,  and  only  sin,  till  regeneration — and  yet,  that  Grod, 
the  Creator  of  all  minds,  is  not  the  author  of  the  sin 
resulting  from  such  a  depraved  nature. 

And  theologians  are  not  peculiar  in  self-^contradic- 
tions.  Every  error  is  a  contradiction  to  some  principle 
of  common  sense.  Thus  it  is  a  fact,  that,  as  all  men  be- 
lieve and  maintain,  by  a  necessity  of  nature,  the  prin- 
ciples of  common  sense,  every  false  principle  or  error 
which  they  defend,  is  a  flat  contradiction  to  some  of 
their  other  declarations  on  other  occasions.  Mean- 
time, it  is  the  great  mission  of  all  free  and  fair  dis- 
cussion to  bring  men  to  see  their  own  inconsistencies, 
and  to  forsake  all  which  ^e  shown  to  be  contrary  to 
reason  and  common  sense. 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

THE    AUGUSTINIAN   THEORY    NOT    IN    THE    BIBLE. 

In  the  preceding  chapters  it  is  shown  that  theolog- 
ical creeds  and  teachings  maintain  the  common-sense 
system,  and  at  the  same  time  the  contradictory  Au- 
gustinian  system.  In  other  words,  it  is  shown  that 
the  Augustinian  theologians  contradict  at  once  our 
common  sense,  our  moral  sense,  and  themselves. 

It  wiU  next  be  shown  that  the  Augustinian  theory 
is  not  contained  in  the  Bible,  and  that  theologians  con- 
flict with  each  other  in  regard  to  this  point  also. 


NOT    IN    THE    BIBLE.  229 

There  is  only  one  passage  in  the  Bible  which  was 
ever  claimed  by  any  one  as  teaching  a  depraved  na- 
ture consequent  on  Adani's  sin.  That  passage  is  Eo- 
mans  v.,  from  the  12th  to  the  19th  verse : 

12  Wherefore,  as  by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and 
death  by  sin ;  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have 
sinned : 

13  For  until  the  law,  sin  was  in  the  world;  but  sin  is  not  im- 
imputed  when  there  is  no  law. 

14  Nevertheless,  death  reigned  from  Adam  to  Moses,  even  over 
them  that  had  not  sinned  after  the  simiUtude  of  Adam's  trans- 
gression, who  is  the  figure  of  him  that  was  to  come. 

15  But  not  as  the  offense,  so  also  is  the  free  gift.  For  if  through 
the  offense  of  one  many  be  dead,  much  more  the  grace  of  God, 
and  the  gift  by  grace,  which  is  by  one  man,  Jesus  Christ,  hath 
abounded  unto  many. 

16  And  not  as  it  was  by  one  that  sinned,  so  is  the  gift.  For 
the  judgment  was  by  one  to  condemnation,  but  the  free  gift  is  of 
many  offenses  unto  justification. 

17  For  if  by  one  man's  offense  death  reigned  by  one ;  much 
more  they  wliich  receive  abundance  of  grace,  and  of  the  gift  of 
righteousness,  shall  reign  in  life  by  one,  Jesus  Christ. 

"18  Therefore,  as  by  the  offense  of  one  judgment  came  upon  aU 
men  to  condemnation,  even  so  by  the  righteousness  of  one  the 
free  gift  came  upon  all  men  unto  justification  of  life. 

19  For  as  by  one  man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sin- 
ners, so  by  the  obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous. 

In  this  passage  these  things  are  taught : 

1.  By  one  man  sin  entered  and  death  by  sin,  and  so  [i.e.,  by 
one  man]  death  passed  on  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned. — 
Yerses  12,  13,  14. 

2.  Through  the  offense  of  one  many  have  died. — ^Verse  15. 

3.  The  judgment  was  by  one  to  condemnation. — Verse  16. 

4.  By  one  man's  offense  death  reigned  by  one. — ^Verse  17. 

5.  By  the  offense  of  one,  judgment  came  on  all  to  condemna' 
tion. — Verse  18. 

6.  By  one  man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners. — ^V.  19 


230  THE   AUGUSTINIAN    THEORY 

There  are  three  modes  of  interpreting  this  passage, 
and  the  question  all  turns  on  whether  the  death  spoken 
of  is  natural  death  or  spiritual. 

Interpretation  of  the  Apostolic  Age, 

The  first  interpretation  is  that  of  the  Apostolic  age 
and  onward  to  the  time  of  Augustine.  It  is  briefly 
this: 

Adam  is  a  type  of  Christ,  and  as  by  Adam's  sin 
natural  death  came  on  all  who  are  his  natural  chil- 
dren^ (for  they  all,  like  Adam,  have  sinned  and  suffer 
death  as  the  consequence,)  so  by  one  man,  Christ,  spir- 
itual life  comes  to  all  who  are  Christ's  spiritual  chil- 
dren. 

This  simply  teaches  that  Adam  as  the  head  of  a  sin- 
ning race,  who  suffer  death  in  consequence  of  his  sin 
and  their  own,  is  an  emblem  or  type  of  Christ,  the 
head  of  a  holy  family,  who  by  him  receive  spiritual 
life.  Condemnation  and  natural  death  come  from  sin- 
ning, both  to  Adam  and  to  all  the  children  brought 
into  being  by  him.  Justification  and  spiritual  life 
come  from  Christ  to  all  whom  he  has  caused  to  be- 
come his  spiritual  children. 

For  abundant  proof  that  this  was  the  interpretation 
of  this  passage,  from  the  apostles  to  the  time  of  Augus- 
tine, the  author  refers  to  Dr.  E.  Beecher's  Conflict  of 
AgeSf  book  v.,  chapter  2. 

Augustinian  Interpretation, 

The  Augustinian  interpretation  is  this  :  The  sin  of 
Adam  caused  a  depraved  nature  and  consequent  spirit- 
ual death  to  all  his  descendants.     So  also  the  obedi- 


NOT    IN"    THE    BIBLE.  231 

ence  and  death  of  Christ  have  purchased  or  caused  a  ho- 
ly nature  and  spiritual  life  to  all  who  are  regenerated. 

Princeton  Interpretation. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  Princeton  theologians 
teach,  that  though  all  men  did  not  sin  in  Adam,  or 
sin  at  all,  before  they  were  born,  yet  God  imputes 
Adam's  sin  to  them,  and  regards  and  treats  them  as  if 
they  had  committed  it. 

Their  interpretation  of  this  passage  then  is  briefly  this : 

As  by,  or  on  account  of,  Adam's  sin  a  condemning 
sentence  came  on  all  men,  so  by  Christ's  obedience  a 
sentence  of  acquittal  {i.  e.,  justification)  came  on  all  who 
are  regenerated. 

According  to  these  divines,  verse  12  does  not  refer 
to  a  depraved  nature  nor  to  actual  sin,  but  only  to  the 
fact  that  all  suffer  the  penalty  for  Adam's  sin  through . 
all  time  and  eternity,  unless  they  are  regenerated.  The'^ 
Princeton  school  of  divines  are  the  most  strongly  Cal- 
vinistic  in  maintaining  the  total  depravity  of  man  and 
his  entire  inability  to  perform  any  truly  virtuous  act 
previous  to  regeneration. 

Here,  then,  we  have  these  results : 

The  Augustinian  theory  of  the  depraved  nature  of 
man,  consequent  on  Adam's  sin,  contradicts  the  com- 
mon sense  and  moral  sense  of  mankind,  contradicts 
the  creeds  and  teachings  that  contain  it,  and  is  not 
taught  in  the  chief  passage  in  the  Bible  claimed  as 
teaching  it,  as  interpreted  by  the  whole  Christian 
world  in  the  first  four  centuries,  and  by  a  large  body 
of  Calvinistic  divines  who  teach  total  depravity  at  the 
present  time. 

Whoever,  then,  denies  that  this  passage  of  the  Bi- 


232  THE    AUGUSTINIAN   THEOEY 

ble  teaches  this  doctrine  is  sustained  bj  tlie  wiiole 
Church  of  the  Apostolic  ages  and  by  a  great  body  of 
the  highest  Calvinistic  churches  at  this  day. 

There  are  some  other  passages  that  may  be  referred 
to  as  relating  to  this  subject.  The  first  is  Komans, 
chapter  ii.,  6  to  16 : 

"Who  will  render  to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds:  to 
them  who  by  patient  continuance  in  well-doing,  seek  for  glory, 
and  honor,  and  immortality ;  eternal  life :  but  unto  them  that  are 
contentious,  and  do  not  obey  the  truth,  but  obey  unrighteousness, 
indignation  and  wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish,  upon  every  soul 
of  man  that  doeth  evil ;  of  the  Jew  first  and  also  of  the  Gentile ; 
but  glory,  honor,  and  peace  to  every  man  that  worketh  good  ;  to 
the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Gentile ;  for  there  is  no  respect  of 
persons  with  God.  For  as  many  as  have  sinned  without  law,  shall 
also  perish  without  law ;  and  as  many  as  have  sinned  in  the  law 
shall  be  judged  by  the  law ;  (for  not  the  hearers  of  the  law  are  just 
before  God,  but  the  doers  of  the  law  shall  be  justified.  Eor  when 
the  Gentiles,  which  have  not  the  law,  do  ly  nature  the  things  con- 
tained in  the  law,  these  having  not  the  law,  are  a  law  unto  them- 
selves, which  show  the  work  of  the  law  written  in  their  hearts, 
their  conscience  also  bearing  witness,  and  their  thoughts  the  mean 
while  accusing,  or  else  excusing  one  another ;)  in  the  day  when 
God  shall  judge  the  secrets  of  men  by  Jesus  Christ,  according  to 
my  gospel." 

Taken  in  its  connection,  the  word  nature^  as  used 
in  this  passage,  evidently  is  used  in  its  primary  and 
chief  meaning,  to  signify  the  constitutional  powers  or 
organization  of  mind.  '*  The  work  of  the  law  written 
in  their  hearts,"  "their  conscience  also  bearing  wit- 
ness ;"  these  are  what  are  referred  to  when  it  is  said, 
"the  Gentiles  do  hy  nature  the  things  contained  in  the 
law."  And  it  is  doing  those  things  which  secures  "glo- 
ry, honor  and  peace  " — '^  to  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the 
Gentile^ 


NOT    IN    THE    BIBLE.  233 

Another  passage  is  Bphesians,  ii.,  1-3  : 

"  And  you  hath  he  quickened,  who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins ;  wherein  in  time  past  ye  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this 
world,  according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit 
that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience :  among  whom 
also  we  all  had  our  conversation  in  times  past  in  the  lusts  of  our 
flesh,  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind;  and  were 
hy  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others." 

In  tliis  passage  the  apostle  is  addressing  those  who 
in  a  succeeding  verse  are  told,  "  remember  that  ye 
being  in  times  past  Gentiles  in  the  flesh :"  this  being 
so,  they  are  those  who,  the  same  writer  sajs,  "  do  5y 
nature  the  things  contained  in  the  law." 

The  signification  of  nature  in  this  passage  must  be 
that  which  is  according  to  ordinary  experience.  That  is, 
according  to  ordinary  experience  mankind  "  are  children 
of  wrath,"  i.  e.,  subject  to  the  wrathful  penalties  of  dis- 
obedience to  the  laws  of  God.  But  by  the  influences 
brought  by  Christ,  "  a  new  life"  is  secured,  which  is 
a  life  of  intelligent" and  voluntary  obedience  to  law,  an 
obedience  which  the  natural  penalties  of  law  could  not 
secure,  but  which  the  knoivledge  and  love  of  God,  as 
manifested  by  Christ,  do  secure. 

One  other  text  merits  attention :  1  Corinthians,  chap- 
ter ii.,  14.  "  But  the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foohshnes? 
unto  him;  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they 
are  spiritually  discerned." 

In  this  passage  the  ^^  natural  man"  must  signify 
"man  as  he  is  found  in  our  ordinary  experience." 
The  idea  evidently  intended,  is  that  mankind,  as  a 
race,  do  not  understand  or  obey  the  truth  as  it  is 
taught  by  Christ  and  the  Spirit  of  God.     The  fact  is 


234  IMPOSSIBILITY    OF    A 

affirmed  that  without  Christ  and  the  divine  Spirit  to 
aid,  man  as  a  race  does  not  come  to  such  knowledge  of 
and  obedience  to  the  laws  of  God  as  secures  eternal  life. 
In  reference  to  most  other  texts  quoted  to  prove 
a  depraved  nature ^  it  will  be  found  that  they  simply 
affirm  depraved  action.  Men,  in  the  Bible,  are  de- 
scribed as  -wxoTig-doers  by  their  own  wrong  willing  or 
choice  and  not  by  a  depraved  nature.  Sometimes  they 
are  said  to  choose  wrong  and  sometimes  right,  and 
their  wrong  willing  no  more  proves  a  depraved  na- 
ture than  the  right  willing  proves  a  holy  nature. 


CHAPTER    XXXIV. 

A  BELIABLE  KEVELATION"  FEOM  THE   CREATOR  IMPOS- 
SIBLE IF  IT  CONTAINS  THE  AUGUSTINIAN"  THEORY. 

The  object  aimed  at  in  this  chapter  demands  atten- 
tion to  the  following  preliminaries. 

Before  we  can  gain  a  reliable  revelation  from  our 
Creator,  we  are  obliged  to  establish  the  truth  that  there 
is  such  a  Creator.  Oar  only  mode  of  doing  this  is  by 
the  method  already  set  forth  in  chapter  10,  and  for 
which  we  are  dependent  on  our  reason  or  common 
sense. 

Having,  by  the  aid  of  reason,  arrived  at  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  existence  and  character  of  the  Creator,  we 
next  inquire  as  to  the  mode  by  which  we  can  receive 
direct  revelations  from  him. 

Here  we  find  that  we  are  again  wholly  dependent 
on  reason  or  common  sense.  The  principle  on  which 
we  alone  rely  for  revelations  from  God  is  this : 


EELIABLE    REVELATION.  235 

A  CHANGE  IN  THE  ESTABLISHED  ORDER  OF  NATURE 
SURPASSING  HUMAN  POWER,  IS  EVIDENCE  OF  A  SUPER- 
NATURAL AGENCY  THAT  IS  SANCTIONED  BY  THE  AU- 
THOR OF  THE  Laws  of  Nature. 

The  conviction  of  the  wisdom  and  power  of  the 
Author  of  this  vast  and  wonderful  frame  around  us  is 
sucli  that,  whatever  changes  may  occur  in  its  estab- 
lished order,  must  be  felt  to  be  by  his  permission. 

To  illustrate  this,  suppose  a  man  appeared,  claiming 
to  be  a  teacher  sent  from  God.  In  proof  of  this^  he 
commands  a  mountain  to  be  uptorn  and  thrown  into 
the  sea.  Now,  if  this  phenomenon  should  follow  his 
command,  it  would  be  impossible  for  any  who  wit- 
nessed it,  to  refrain  from  believing  that  the  Author  of 
Nature  performed  this  miracle  to  attest  the  authority 
of  his  messenger. 

In  order  to  insure  this  belief  in  the  interference  of 
the  Creator,  there  must  be  full  evidence  that  there 
can  be  no  deception,  and  that  the  miraculous  per- 
formance is  entirely  beyond  human  power  and  skill. 
Men  always  talk  and  act  on  the  assumption  that  such 
miracles  are  from  God,  and  all  rational  minds  so  regard 
them. 

We  have  shown  that  the  chief  cause  of  a  wrong  ac- 
tion of  mind,  is  that  it  commences  existence  in  perfect 
ignorance,  while  all  those  causes  which  experience 
shows  to  be  indispensable  to  its  right  action,  to  a 
greater  or  less  degree  are  wanting. 

The  grand  want  of  our  race  is  perfect  educators  to 
train  new-born  minds,  who  are  infallihh  teachers  of 
what  is  right  and  true. 

We  have  presented  the  evidence  gained  by  reason 
and  experience  that  the  Creator  is  perfect  in  mental 


236  IMPOSSIBILITY    OF    A 

constitiitioii,  and  that  he  always  has  acted  right,  and 
always  will  thus  act.  This  being  granted,  we  infer 
that  he  always  has  done  the  best  that  is  possible  for  the 
highest  good  of  his  creatures  in  this  world,  and  that 
he  always  will  continue  to  do  so. 

We  proceed  to  inquire  in  regard  to  what  would  be 
the  best  that  is  possible  to  be  done  for  us  in  this  state 
of  being,  so  far  as  we  can  conceive. 

Inasmuch  as  the  great  cause  of  the  wrong  action  of 
mind  is  the  ignorance  and  imperfection  of  those  who 
are  its  educators  in  the  beginning  of  its  existence,  we 
should  infer  that  the  best  possible  thing  to  be  done  for 
our  race,  would  be  to  provide  some  perfect  and  info.l- 
lihle  teacher  to  instruct  those  who  are  to  educate  mind. 
This  being  granted,  then  all  would  concede  that  the 
Creator  himself  would  be  our  best  teacher,  and  that, 
if  he  would  come  to  us  himself  in  a  visible  form,  to 
instruct  the  educators  of  mind  in  all  they  need  to 
know,  for  themselves  and  for  the  new-born  minds 
committed  to  their  care,  it  would  be  the  best  thing 
we  can  conceive  of  for  the  highest  good  of  our  race. 

We  next  inquire  as  to  the  best  conceivable  mode 
by  which  the  Creator  can  manifest  himself  so  as  to 
secure  credence. 

To  decide  this,  let  each  one  suppose  the  case  his 
own.  Let  a  man  make  his  appearance  claiming  to  be 
the  Creator.  We  can  perceive  that  his  mere  word 
would  never  command  the  confidence  of  intelligent 
practical  men.  Thousands  of  impostors  have  ap- 
peared and  made  such  claims,  deceiving  the  weak  and 
ignorant  and  disgusting  the  wise. 

A  person  with  such  claims,  were  he  ever  so  benev- 
olent and  intelligeifit,  but  having  had  no  other  evidence 


RELIABLE    REVELATION.  237 

than  his  word  to  support  them,  would,  by  sensible  per- 
sons, be  regarded  as  the  victim  of  some  mental  hallu- 
cination. 

But  suppose  that  a  person  claiming  to  be  the  Cre- 
ator of  all  things,  or  to  be  a  messenger  from  him, 
should  attest  his  claim  by  shaking  the  earth,  or  turn- 
ing back  the  floods  of  the  ocean,  it  would  be  impos- 
sible for  any  man  to  witness  these  miracles  without 
believing,  that  the  Author  of  all  things  thus  attested 
his  own  presence  or  the  authority  of  his  messenger. 
We  have  shown  that  the  very  organization  of  mind 
would  necessarily  force  such  a  belief  on  all  sane  minds. 

One  other  method  would  be  as  effective.  Should 
this  person  predict  events  so  improbable  and  so  be- 
yond all  human  intelligence,  as  to  be  equivalent  to  an 
equal  interruption  of  experience  as  to  the  laws  of  mind, 
as  time  developed  the  fulfillment  of  these  predictions, 
the  same  belief  would  be  induced  in  the  authority  of 
the  person  thus  supernaturally  endowed. 

In  the  case  of  miracles,  the  evidence  would  be  im- 
mediate and  most  powerful  in  its  inception.  In  the 
case  of  prophecy,  the  power  of  the  evidence  would 
increase  with  time. 

Miracles  and  prophecy^  then,  are  the  only  methods  that 
we  can  conceive  of,  that  would,  as  our  minds  are  now 
constituted,  insure  belief  in  revelations  from  the  Creator, 

But  if  every  human  being,  in  order  to  believe,  must 
have  miracles,  there  would  result  such  an  incessant 
violation  of  the  laws  of  nature  as  to  destroy  them,  and 
thus  to  destroy  all  possibility  of  miracles. 

The  only  possible  way,  then,  to  establish  revela- 
tions to  the  race,  is  to  have  them  occur  at  certain 
periods  of  time,  and  then  have  them  adequately  re- 
corded and  preserved. 


238  IMPOSSIBILITY    OF    A 

The  Bible  is  a  collection  of  books  written  at  differ- 
ent periods  of  the  world's  history.  These  books  pro- 
fess to  be  records  of  the  various  manifestations  and 
teachings  of  the  Creator  to  mankind.  It  is  claimed 
for  them,  that  their  authority  is  established  by  mir- 
acles and  prophecy,  with  all  the  evidence  that  is  possible, 
so  far  as  we  can  conceive,  and  that  there  are  no  other 
books  in  the  world  having  any  such  evidence  of  au- 
thorized revelations  from  God. 

No  attempt  will  be  made  to  set  forth  this  evidence, 
which,  it  is  claimed,  is  peculiar  to  the  Bible.  The  point 
here  attempted  is,  to  show  that,  were  the  Augustinian 
system,  contained  in  these  writings,  it  would  destroy 
their  claims  as  reliable  revelations  from  Grod,  even  al- 
lowing that  miracles  and  prophecy  attested  their  au- 
thority. 

All  must  allow  that  it  is  possible  to  have  such  things 
given  in  a  revelation  from  God  as  would  destroy  its 
reliability.  For  example,  suppose  it  were  a  fact  that 
a  revelation,  supported  by  miracles,  taught  that  there 
was  no  God.  This  would  necessarily  destroy  its  au- 
thority as  a  revelation  from  God. 

Suppose  again,  that  it  taught  that  the  Creator,  who 
wrought  the  attesting  miracles,  was  a  liar,  and  loved 
to  deceive  his  creatures ;  this  would  also  destroy  its 
reliability  as  a  guide  to  truth. 

Suppose  again,  that  it  taught  that  the  Creator  was  a 
being  who  preferred  evil  to  good,  and  chose  to  have 
his  creatures  ignorant  and  miserable,  when  he  has 
power  to  make  them  wise  and  happy.  This  also 
would  destroy  the  reliability  of  any  revelation  from 
the  Creator,  even  were  it  sustained  by  undisputed  mir- 
acles and  prophecy. 


EELIABLE    R  E  V  E  L  A  T  T  O  I»  ^  f^  ^281^'    HSIT 

This  last  is  precisely  what  the  Augustiniaii-systera  __^S^ 
does  teach,  and,  as  its  advocates  claim,  it  is  a  part  al 
revelation  from  the   Creator,  supported  by  miracles 
and  prophecy. 

In  opposition  to  this,  it  is  maintained  that  this  sys- 
tem is  not  to  be  found  in  the  Bible,  and  that  were  it 
there,  all  the  miracles  and  prophecy  conceivable  could 
not  prove  these  writings  to  be  revelations  from  the 
Creator,  which  are  reliahle  as  our  guide  to  truth  and 
happiness.  A  Creator  who  wills  ignorance  and  mis- 
ery to  his  creatures,  when  he  has  power  to  will  knowl- 
edge and  happiness  in  their  place,  is  not  a  being  to  be 
believed  or  trusted  as  our  guide  to  truth  and  happi- 
ness. 

It  is  in  this  light  that  the  Augustinian  theory,  as  a 
part  of  the  Bible,  brings  the  question  fairly  before 
the  people^  as  ^^  Bible  or  no  Bible  .^" 


CHAPTEK    XXXV. 

TENDENCIES  OF  THE  TWO  OPPOSING  SYSTEMS. 

The  preceding  chapters  have  presented  the  dis- 
tinctive features  of  two  systems  which,  in  their  main 
points,  are  shown  to  be  contradictory,  while  both  are 
exhibited  as  incorporated  into  the  chief  creeds  and 
theological  teachings  of  the  Christian  world. 

It  is  the  object  of  this  chapter  to  point  out  the  tend- 
encies of  these  antagonistic  systems. 

It  is  maintained,  that  the  common-sense  system, 
resting  as  it  does  on  implanted  principles  common  to 
all  minds,  is  evolved  and  held  very  much  in  propor- 


240  TENDENCIES    OP    THE    TWO 

tion  to  the  development  of  tlie  reasoning  powers  and 
the  moral  sense. 

That  part  of  this  system  which  relates  to  man's 
duties  and  best  interests  in  this  life,  without  reference 
to  a  future  state,  has  been  more  harmoniously  evolved 
by  the  wise  and  good  of  all  ages  and  nations  than  any 
other.  Thus,  in  the  teachings  of  Confucius,  Zoroas- 
ter, Gaudama,  Solon,  Socrates,  Plato,  Aristotle,  Sen- 
eca, and  the  Antonines,  who  are  among  the  chief 
heathen  sages,  we  can  find  nearly  all  the  moral  du- 
ties of  man,  to  himself  and  to  his  fellow-man,  which 
are  to  be  found  in  the  Bible.  It  is  true  that  there  are 
diversities  and  deficiencies  in  all ;  but  a  large  body  of 
pure  morality  could  be  made  up  from  their  united 
teachings.  The  account  given  of  the  system  of  Bood- 
hism  in  a  previous  chapter  is  one  illustration  of  this 
fact. 

But,  while  it  is  comparatively  easy  for  the  good 
and  wise  heathen  to  reason  out  what  is  best  for  man 
in  this  life,  as  taught  by  experience,  the  grand  failure 
is  in  motives  which  will  secure  obedience  to  the  rules  of 
virtue.  "  We  see  the  right  and  yet  the  wrong  pur- 
sue/' has  been  the  universal  lament  of  humanity. 

The  character  of  the  Creator,  as  "  the  Lord,  the  Lord 
God,  merciful  and  gracious,  slow  unto  anger,  of  great 
kindness ;"  "  who  doth  not  willingly  afflict  or  grieve 
the  children  of  men ;"  who  "  like  as  a  father  piti- 
eth  his  children;"  who  is  ^'a  father  of  the  father- 
less and  a  judge  of  the  widow;"  "  a  God  without  ini- 
quity, just  and  right ;"  "  a  judge  of  the  fatherless  and 
the  poor ;"  who  *'  shall  judge  the  world  with  right- 
eousness;" "a  righteous  God,  who  trieth  the  heart 
and  the  reins ;"  who  *'  will  regard  the  prayer  of  the 


OPPOSING    SYSTEMS.  ^241 

destitute ;"  wlio  '^  knowetli  the  wants  of  the  heart ;" 
*'  who  knoweth  our  down-sitting  and  up-rising,  and 
is  acquainted  with  all  our  ways ;"  who  is  "  a  righteous 
Lord  who  loveth  righteousness  ;"  "  whose  judgments 
are  all  right ;"  whose  "  word  is  right ;"  whose  *'  word 
is  truth  from  the  beginning;"  who  is  "plenteous  in 
mercy  and  truth;"  such  a  character  as  this,  as  it  is 
recorded  in  the  Jewish  sacred  books,  was  never 
evolved  or  set  forth,  by  the  wisest  and  best  sages 
of  all  the  earth,  unaided  by  these  writings. 

That  such  a  Being  regards  our  race  with  long-suf- 
fering compassion,  and  came  himself  to  earth,  by  his 
teachings,  example  and  self-sacrificing  love,  to  save  us 
from  sin,  this  was  never  even  imagined  by  any  of  the 
heathen  sages  of  earth. 

The  power  of  motive^  secured  by  a  belief  in  the  om- 
nipresence, sympathy  and  love  of  such  a  God,  never 
was  attained  by  the  unaided  reasoning  of  any  human 
being. 

The  fact  that  the  soul  survives  the  dissolution  of 
the  body,  and  that  the  good  go  where  they  are  happy, 
and  the  wicked  where  they  are  punished,  has  been 
more  or  less  clearly  evolved  by  the  heathen  world. 
In  some  nations,  as  for  example  the  followers  of 
Boodhism,  this  doctrine  is  quite  definite  and  distinct, 
but  with  most  heathen  nations  all  their  notions  on 
this  subject  are  dim,  shadowy  and  unpractical. 

It  is  those  nations  alone,  who  have  had  access  to 
the  Bible,  who  have  ever  attained  the  powerful  motives 
which  are  found  in  the  system  of  common  sense. 
And  yet,  as  has  been  shown,  these  influences  have 
been,  to  a  great  extent,  nullified  by  a  contradictory 
system. 


242  TENDENCIES     OP     THE 

It  is  claimed,  that  the  system  of  common  sense  is 
the  one  on  which  the  revelations  of  the  Creator,  con- 
tained in  the  Bible,  are  founded.  This  being  so,  those 
who  are  most  developed  in  their  reasoning  powers, 
and  who  also  yield  the  most  reverence  to  the  Bible, 
are  those  who  are  most  powerfully  protected  against 
the  pernicious  tendencies  of  the  antagonistic  system  of 
Augustine. 

Thus,  a  system  which  is  antagonistic  to  reason  and 
common  sense,  has,  by  ecclesiastical  authority  and 
perversion,  been  fastened  most  firmly  on  that  class 
of  minds  who  bring  all  their  cultivated  powers  to 
its  defense,  while  at  the  same  time  the  very  cultiva- 
tion of  these  powers,  and  their  reverence  for  the 
Bible,  tend  to  the  destruction  of  the  same  system. 
We  consequently  find  the  strongest  defenders,  and 
the  strongest  antagonists  of  the  Augustinian  system, 
in  those  sects  who  were  educated  within  its  entrench- 
ments. 

K  common  sense  and  the  Bible  are  to  conquer  this 
false  system,  it  must  be  done  by  those  whose  common 
sense  and  reverence  for  the  Bible  are  most  effective 
and  most  prominent.  And  yet  this  class  of  persons 
are  the  ones,  who  would  the  most  vigorously  apply 
their  energies  in  the  defense  of  a  system  in  which 
they  have  been  trained  from  infancy,  and  which  is 
sustained  by  all  the  power  of  public  sentiment,  and 
church  organization.  This  being  premised,  the  tend- 
encies of  the  two  antagonistic  systems  will  now  be 
set  forth. 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  243 


CHAPTEE   XXXYI. 

TENDENCIES  OF  THE  TWO  SYSTEMS  AS  THEY  EESPECT 
THE  CULTIVATION  OF  THE  MORAL  AND  INTELLEC- 
TUAL POWERS. 

The  system  of  common  sense  rests  on  the  assump- 
tion that  there  are  principles  of  right  and  wrong 
founded  on  the  eternal  nature  of  things,  existing  in- 
dependently of  the  will  of  the  Creator  in  his  own 
eternal  mind,  and  by  which  his  character  and  conduct 
may  be  judged. 

The  human  mind  is  constructed  in  accordance  with 
these  principles,  as  the  embryo  image  of  the  Eternal 
Creator.  By  the  aid  of  these  principles,  we  discover 
the  design  and  character  of  Grod  in  the  nature  of  his 
works,  and  can  perceive  what  is  right  or  wrong  in 
moral  action  as  tending  to  fulfill  or  oppose  this  de- 
sign. Thus  we  are  enabled  to  understand  and  to  adore 
the  rectitude,  wisdom  and  goodness  of  our  Creator,  as 
manifested  either  in  his  works  or  in  more  direct  reve- 
lations from  him. 

According  to  this  system,  all  voluntary  action  is 
right  which  produces  happiness  without  violating  the 
laws  of  God.  Thus  every  person  who  is  making  self  or 
others  happy  in  the  lest  way,  guided  by  the  teachings 
of  experience  or  by  revelations  from  Grod,  is  fulfilling 
the  great  design  of  our  Maker,  and  thus  pleasing  him 
by  promoting  his  chief  desire. 

On  the  contrary,  the  Augustinian  system  assumes 
that  the  human  mind,  being  totally  depraved,  is  entire- 
ly disqualified  to  judge  of  the  character  and  ways  of 


24A  TENDENCIES    OF    THE    TWO 

God.  Naj  more,  it  assumes  that  there  is  no  standard 
of  right  and  wrong  by  which  we  can  judge  of  the  rec- 
titude of  the  ways  of  God. 

According  to  this  theory,  the  fact  that  God  wills  a 
thing  is  what  makes  it  right ;  so  that  any  thing  is  right 
if  God  does  it,  and  true  if  he  says  it,  however  contrary 
it  may  be  to  our  moral  nature  and  common  sense. 

In  the  teachings  of  moral  science,  founded  on  this 
theory,  it  is  maintained  that  God  has  formed  our 
minds,  to  feel  certain  emotions  of  approval  or  disap- 
proval in  view  of  certain  relations  and  actions,  which 
are  right  or  wrong  only  as  agreeing  or  disagree- 
ing with  his  will.  But  as  the  mind  of  man  is  de- 
praved, this  constitution  is  no  certain  guide,  and  we 
are  dependent  on  direct  revelations  from  God  to  teach 
us  what  is  in  agreement  with  his  will.  Yet  here  again 
we  are  at  fault ;  for  such  is  our  depravity  that  we  are 
disqualified  to  interpret  these  revelations,  except  as  we 
are  regenerated  by  God. 

Accordingly,  man  has  no  means  of  judging  of  the 
designs  or  character  of  his  Maker — noj,  while  unregen- 
erate,  as  most  of  our  race  are  and  have  been,  has  he 
any  sure  means  of  discovering  the  will  of  God,  either 
by  reason  or  revelation,  saving  as  he  may  find'  infal- 
lible priestly  interpreters. 

Tendencies  of  the  Two  Systems  m  Regard  to  the  CuU 
tivation  of  the  Reasoning  Powers  and  Moral  Sense. 

The  comnaon-sense  system,  resting  on  the  assump- 
tion that  happiness-mahing^  according  to  the  laws  of 
God^  is  the  chief  end  of  man,  naturally  leads  to 
the  development  of  the  intellect  and  reason  in  order 
to  discover  these  laws,  and  to  the  devotion  of  all  our 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  245 

powers  to  happiness-making,  according  to  these  laws. 
This  being  so,  every  thing  that  tends  to  make  enjoy- 
ment and  diminish  evil  without  violating  law,  is  valued 
as  good  and  right.  All  noble,  generous,  self-sacrific- 
ing and  honorable  sentiments  and  acts  are  regarded  as 
right,  pleasing  to  the  Father  of  all,  and  tending  equally 
to  promote  the  best  good  of  ourselves  and  of  all  our  fel- 
low-beings. In  this  light  we  become  one  with  the  Fa- 
ther and  with  all  good  beings  just  so  far  as  we  obey  all 
the  physical,  social  and  moral  laws  of  our  Creator,  and 
thus  conform  to  his  will,  and  add  to  his  happiness.  Thus 
the  direct  tendency  of  this  system  is  to  promote  an 
earnest  desire,  first  to  discover  all  that  is  true  and  right, 
and  then  to  follow  it.  And  such  efforts  naturally  tend 
both  to  develop  our  highest  powers,  and  to  bring  the 
mind  into  harmony  and  communion  with  the  Father 
of  our  spirits. 

On  the  contrary,  the  Augustinian  system,  resting  on 
the  assumption  that  all  the  plans  and  ways  of  God  are 
a  mystery  beyond  our  comprehension ;  that  man,  by 
nature,  has  no  power  to  understand  what  is  right 
or  wrong  in  God's  dispensations ;  that  what  we  call 
goodness  and  virtue  in  unregenerate  minds  is  not  so 
in  God's  sight ;  that  every  act  of  every  unrenewed 
mind  is  sin,  and  only  sin ;  that  until  regenerated  we 
never  do  any  thing  to  move  God  to  re-create  our 
ruined  nature;  all  this  in  its  tendency  leads  to  reckless- 
ness, hopelessness  and  neglect  of  all  virtuous  efforts, 
as  useless  in  regard  to  our  highest  interests.  As  be- 
fore intimated,  these  tendencies  are  more  or  less  coun- 
teracted by  the  teachings  of  common  sense  and  the 
Bible.  Still,  such  tendencies  must  always  be,  more  or 
less,  effective  and  disastrous. 


246  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 


CHAPTEE   XXXYII^ 

TENDENCIES    OF    THE    TWO    SYSTEMS    IN  EESPECT    TO 
INDIVIDUAL    RELIGIOUS    EXPERIENCE. 

The  Augustinian  system,  assuming  tliat  true  per- 
sonal religion  consists  in  the  exercises  of  "  a  new  na- 
ture," tends  to  introverted  mental  efforts,  in  order  to 
discover  whether  the  signs  of  such  a  nature  exist  in 
ourselves. 

As,  on  this  theory,  it  is  certain  that  man  will  do 
nothing  to  change  his  fallen  nature  until  the  Spirit 
of  God  is  given  to  aid,  the  great  attention  and  ef- 
fort must  be  directed  to  those  methods,  which  "the 
church"  decides,  or  experience  has  proved,  to  be  con- 
nected with  the  bestowal  of  this  spiritual  gift. 

Not  knowing  clearly  what  the  depraved  nature  is, 
which  is  to  be  changed,  nor  the  certain  signs  of  its  ex- 
istence or  re-creation,  nor  any  certain  mode  of  secur- 
ing the  desired  change,  there  is  a  perplexing  variety 
of  vague  instructions  as  to  "what  we  must  do  to  be 
saved  ?" 

In  illustration  of  this,  the  following  from  an  article 
by  the  editor  of  the  Methodist  Quarterly,  shows  how 
"Wesley  and  his  followers  instruct  on  this  subject : 

"  I  have  continually  testified,  in  private  and  in  public,"  says 
Wesley,  "  that  we  are  sanctified  as  well  as  justified  by  faith." 

This  being  first  stated,  the  great  question  follows, 
what  is  that  faith  by  which  we  are  justified  and  sanc- 
tified ?     The  answer  is  this : 

"  It  is  a  divine  evidence  and  conviction,  first  that  G-od  hath  prom- 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  247 

ised  it  in  the  holy  Scriptures  ;  secondly,  that  what  God  hath 
promised  he  is  able  to  perform ;  thirdly,  that  he  is  able  and  willing 
to  do  it  now.  To  this,  is  to  be  added  one  thing  more :  a  divine 
conviction  that  he  doeth  it.     In  that  hour  it  is  done."* 

That  is,  in  order  to  be  justified  and  sanctified  we 
must  have  a  divine  evidence  and  conviction  that  God 
is  aUe  and  willing ^  and  actually  does  now  give  tlie  jus- 
tification and  sanctification  we  seek.  In  other  words, 
in  order  to  gain  what  we  seek  we  must  believe  that 
we  have  gained  it.  In  order  to  get  a  blessing  we  must 
believe  that  we  possess  it. 

Thus  it  is,  that  one  of  the  largest  sects  of  our  coun- 
try is  instructed  by  its  founder  and  his  most  intelli- 
gent and  learned  followers,  as  to  the  way  of  salvation 
from  everlasting  and  inconceivable  misery.  It  will  be 
remembered,  that  this  class  of  divines  teach  that  the 
depravity  of  man's  mind  consists  in  the  deprivation  of 
God's  Spirit,  which  is  withheld  from  all  the  descend- 
ants of  Adam  on  account  of  his  sin. 

The  following  presents  the  mode  of  instruction  in 
which  the  author  was  educated.  It  is  contained  in  a 
letter  from  Dr.  Nettleton,  a  celebrated  revival  preacher, 
who  often  resided  with  the  author's  father  during  re- 
vivals in  which  they  were  co-laborers.  This  letter 
was  written  to  oppose  the  views  of  the  New  Haven 
divines,  who  maintained  that,  although  in  conse- 
quence of  Adam's  sin,  there  is  a  tendency  or  bias  to 
evil  so  powerful  as  to  insure  "  sin,  and  only  sin"  till 
regeneration  occurs,  yet  that  the  act  of  regeneration 
consists  in  a  choice  or  purpose  on  the  part  of  man 
himself. 

*  From  the  article  on  Sanctification,  in  the  magazine  Beauty  of  EoU 
ness,  January,  1859. 


248  TENDENCIES    OP    THE 

In  reference  to  these  views  of  Dr.  Taylor  and  oth- 
ers, Dr.  Nettleton  says : 

"  They  adopt  a  new  theory  of  regeneration.  It  has  been  said  by 
some  that  regeneration  consists  in  removing  this  sinful  hias,  which 
is  anterior  to  actual  volition ;  this  they  deny.  But  whether  we 
call  this  propensity  sinful  or  not,  all  orthodox  divines  who  have 
admitted  its  existence  have,  I  believe,  united  in  the  opinion  that 
regeneration  does  consist  in  removing  it,"  [which  the  New  Haven 
divines  denying,  they  are  excluded  from  the  "  orthodox"  ranks,  in 
the  view  of  Dr.  N.] 

He  continues  thus : 

"  No  sinner  ever  did  or  ever  will  make  a  holy  choice  prior  to  an 
inclination^  bias  or  tendency  to  holiness. 

"  On  the  whole  their  [i.  e.,  the  New  Haven  divines]  views  of  de- 
pravity, of  regeneration  and  of  the  mode  of  preaching  to  sinners 
can  not  fail,  I  think,  of  doing  very  great  mischief.  This  exhibition 
[i  e.,  that  regeneration  consists  in  man's  choice]  overlooks  the  most 
alarming  feature  of  human  depravity  and  the  very  essence  of  exper- 
imental religion.  It  is  directly  calculated  to  prevent  sinners  from 
coming  under  conviction  of  sin."     *     *     * 

"  The  progress  of  conviction  ordinarily  is  as  follows :  Trouble 
and  alarm  first,  on  account  of  outward  sins ;  secondly,  on  account 
of  hardness  of  heart,  deadness  and  insensibility  to  divine  things, — 
tendency,  bias,  proneness  or  propensity  to  sin,  both  inferred  and 
felt ;  and  this  the  convicted  sinner  always  regards,  not  merely  as 
calamitous,  but  as  awfully  criminal  in  the  sight  of  God.  And  the 
sinner  utterly  despairs  of  salvation  without  a  change  in  this  propen- 
sity to  sin.  And  while  he  feels  this  propensity  to  be  thus  crim- 
inal, he  is  fully  aware  that  if  God,  by  a  sovereign  act  of  his  grace, 
does  not  interpose  to  remove  or  change  it,  he  shall  never  give  his 
heart  to  God,  Tior  make  one  holy  choice.'^ 

The  great  point  taught  by  Dr.  ISTettleton  and  his 
associates  was,  that  man  has  a  depraved  nature  con- 
sisting in  a  bias  or  propensity  to  sin,  consequent  on 
Adam's  sin,  for  which  we  are  "  awfully  criminal  in 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  249 

the  sigTit  of  Grod,"  and  which  man  himself  will  never 
remedy ;  that  regeneration  consists  in  the  change  of 
this  bias  by  God,  and  that  until  God  does  make  this 
change  man  wdll  ''never  give  his  heart  to  God  nor 
make  one  holy  choice."  And  yet  his  sermons,  as 
the  writer  heard  them  month  after  month,  abounded 
in  pungent  addresses  to  sinners,  commanding  them  in 
God's  name  to  "give  their  hearts  to  God,"  and  main- 
taining that  their  inabiUty  to  do  so  was  owing  to  their 
own  fault  and  unwillingness  to  do  so. 

At  the  same  time,  the  New  Haven  divines,  in  the 
same  pulpit,  were  urging  their  views,  showing  that  re- 
generation consisted  in  "  choosing  God  and  his  ser- 
vice ;"  that  man  was  fully  able  to  do  this,  and  yet 
that  owing  to  his  depraved  nature,  he  never  would  do 
it,  until  that  nature  was  in  some  way  changed  by  God. 
Meantime,  on  their  view  also,  every  voluntary  act, 
previous  to  regeneration,  was  "  sin,  and  only  sin." 
Nor  had  God  pointed  out  any  sure  mode  of  obtaining 
from  him  the  gift  of  regenerating  grace.  They,  how- 
ever, urged  that  the  results  of  experience  proved  that 
regeneration,  though  not  promised  to  unregenerate 
doings,  is,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  bestowed  more  fre- 
quently on  those  who  use  "  the  means  of  grace,"  such 
as  prayer,  reading  the  Bible  and  frequenting  religious 
meetings,  than  on  those  who  do  not. 

The  points  of  difference  between  the  New  Haven 
theologians  and  their  opponents,  seemed  to  be,  that 
the  former  taught  that  regeneration  was  the  act  of 
man  himself  in  choosing  God's  service;  while  Dr. 
Nettleton  and  his  associates  taught  that  it  consisted 
in  the  change  of  man's  nature  by  God,  and  not  in 
what  was  done  by  man  himself.  The  New  Haven 
11* 


250  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 

theologians  liave  been  more  definite  in  their  attempts 
to  explain  the  exact  natare  of  regeneration  than  any 
other  class.  They  all  agree,  however,  that  man  never 
will,  in  any  case,  become  regenerated  until  God  in 
some  measure  rectifies  the  injury  done  to  human  na- 
ture by  Adam's  sin ;  that  God  points  out  no  definite 
way  to  secure  this  aid ;  and  that  previous  to  regen- 
eration every  moral  act  of  man  is  "  sin,  and  only  sin." 

As  to  the  signs  or  evidence  of  regeneration,  those 
who  teach  that  man's  depravity  consists  in  the  depri- 
vation of  God's  Spirit,  on  account  of  Adam's  sin,  often 
lead  to  the  expectation  of  some  sudden  "  light  and 
joy,"  as  the  first  evidence  of  regeneration.  Such, 
also,  follow  Wesley's  direction,  and  try  to  believe  that 
they  are  justified  and  sanctified,  in  order  to  become  so. 
Others  point  out  certain  emotions  toward  God  or  to- 
ward Jesus  Christ  as  the  proof  of  the  commencement 
of  a  new  nature. 

Some  divines  lead  to  the  impression  that  the  new 
nature  consists  in  a  mysterious  indwelling  of  God  in 
the  soul,  or  a  union  of  our  nature  to  his,  so  that  when 
it  takes  place,  there  is  a  natural  outflowing  of  good 
feelings  and  good  works,  as  there  was  of  evil  before 
this  union.  But  they  point  out  no  intelligible  way  of 
gaining  this  union. 

The  Catholic  church  teaches  that  regeneration  is 
conferred  by  the  rite  of  baptism,  and  that  thus  a  seed 
or  some  mysterious  principle  is  implanted,  which  is 
developed  by  use  of  the  forms  and  rites  of  *Hhe 
church,"  and  exhibited  in  *'good  works."  The  Epis- 
copal churches,  more  or  less,  retain  this  view  in  the 
teachings  of  their  clergy. 

"  Saving  faiihj^  or  the  "  faith  which  justifies,"  is  de- 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  251 

scribed  by  religious  teacliers  with  most  singular  and 
inconsistent  forms  of  expression.  If  any  person  will 
make  a  collection  of  the  various  diverse  explanations 
of  this  indispensable  requisite  to  eternal  life,  it  would 
prove  a  most  mournful  illustration  of  vague  teachings 
in  reply  to  the  great  question,  "  What  must  we  do  to 
be  saved?" 

The  following  extract  was  prepared  by  a  very  in- 
telligent theological  student  at  the  request  of  the  au- 
thor, in  reference  to  the  great  question,  ''  What  must 
we  do  to  be  saved?"  as  set  forth,  in  a  recent  work,  bigh.- 
ly  recommended  for  its  clear  and  practical  views  on 
this  great  matter.  This  work,  entitled  *'  The  Higher 
Christian  Life^^  exhibits  not  only  the  author's  views 
of  what  regeneration  consists  in,  but  his  views  of  an- 
other subject  that  has  greatly  interested  many  minds 
in  the  religious  world,  under  the  name  of  Christian 
Perfection : 

"  I  have  examined,  as  you  requested,  the  book  entitled  *  The 
Higher  Christian  Life,'  with  a  view  of  gaining  the  author's  defi- 
nition of  'conversion,'  or  'regeneration,*  and  his  directions  for 
securing  it,  and  also  his  idea  of  what  the  '  second  conversion' 
consists  in.  His  view  of  the  first  conversion,  or  regeneration,  is 
the  generally  entertained  one,  i,  e.,  it  is  the  pardon  of  our  sins.  This 
pardon  is  instantaneous  and  entire.  The  moment  a  soul  believes 
in  Christ,  and  accepts  his  atonement,  that  moment  it  experiences 
a  complete  sense  of  pardoned  sin. 

"  Luther  experienced  this  when,  after  fasting,  and  watching,  and 
strugghng  under  the  weight  of  sins  unforgiven  had  brought  him 
to  the  brink  of  the  grave,  these  words  were  brought  home  to  his 
mind,  '  I  beheve  in  the  forgiveness  of  sins.'  From  that  moment 
'joy  filled  his  soul,  and  he  arose  quickly  from  the  depths  of  de- 
spair and  the  bed  of  sickness.' 

"  /Second  conversion  is  the  cleansing  from  sin,  which  the  author 


252  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 

says  '  is  a  work  of  indefinite  length,'  and  in  this  particular  alone 
diflfers  from  the  first  conversion. 

"  But,  in  the  examples  cited  by  him,  the  experience  of  this  sec- 
ond conversion  has  been  as  instantaneous  as  the  first.  Luther, 
climbing  Pilate's  stair-case  on  his  hands  and  knees,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  gaining  holiness,  was  brought  to  his  feet  by  the  truth, 
'  The  just  shall  Kve  hy  faith:  "  '  Then,'  Luther  says,  '  I  felt  my- 
self born  again.  As  a  new  man  I  entered  by  an  open  door  into 
the  very  Paradise  of  God.' 

"  So  in  all  the  other  examples  of  this  author,  the  apprehension 
of  Christ  as  the  way,  is  instantaneous ;  and  yet  he  says  '  the  work 
of  Christ  remains  yet  to  be  done  in  the  future.'  In  this  point 
only  does  it  differ  from  the  first  conversion,  that  it  is  not  all  done 
in  an  instant,  although,  as  I  have  said  before,  his  examples  all 
make  the  impression  that  in  both  cases  the  work  is  instantaneous." 

This  extract  is  not  given  as  a  correct  exhibition  of 
the  views  of  this  author,  for  it  may  not  do  him  jus- 
tice. It  is  given  to  show  how  vague  and  indefinite 
are  the  teachings  of  religious  writers  and  preachers  on 
this  subject.  Here  is  a  book  recommended  for  its  clear 
views  by  the  highest  class  of  minds.  It  is  read  and 
re-read  by  an  intelligent,  well-educated  young  man, 
who  is  studying  theology  in  one  of  our  first  semina- 
ries. He  then  gives  this  author's  view  of  regenera- 
tion, as  that  which  he  supposes  to  be  contained  in 
that  book,  and  also  as  "  the  one  generally  entertained" 

And  what  is  this  answer  to  the  great  question, 
"What  must  we  do  to  be  saved?" — a  question  on 
which  the  happiness  of  endless  ages  is  suspended. 

It  is  the  pardon  of  sin,  which  "  is  instantaneous  and 
entire."  This  is  something  which  God  does,  and  this, 
as  it  would  seem,  is  regeneration. 

Next  it  is  stated  that  "  the  moment  a  soul  believes  in 
Christ  and  accepts  his  atonement,  that  moment  it  expe- 
riences a  complete  sense  of  pardoned  sin."     Here  one 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  253 

must  ask,  "  what  is  signified  by  believing  in  Christ  and 
accepting  his  atonement?  Is  this  also  regeneration, 
and  if  so,  does  it  consist  in  the  intellectual  assent  to 
the  proposition  that  Christ  as  God  suffered  and  died, 
and  by  this  act  secured  the  pardon  of  our  sin  ?"  There 
is  nothing  given  to  decide  these  queries. 

ISText,  it  is  stated  that  this  act  of  faith  is  followed  by 
*'  a  complete  sense  of  pardoned  sin."  Is  this  regenera- 
tion, or  is  it  a  part  of  it  ?  There  is  nothing  given  to 
decide  this  question. 

It  is  certain  that  the  young  man,  totally  failed  in 
his  efforts  to  secure  any  clear  and  definite  conceptions 
of  the  author's  meaning,  exactly  as  has  been  the  case 
with  the  writer  herself,  for  whom  the  above  extract 
was  prepared. 

It  has  been  the  privilege  of  the  writer,  often  to 
listen  to  the  preaching  of  Dr.  Bushnell,  one  of  the 
most  popular  of  all  our  religious  teachers.  On  one 
such  occasion  during  the  present  season,  the  object  of 
his  sermon  seemed  to  be  to  teach  what  was  that  true 
knowledge  of  Ood^  which  he  urged  on  his  hearers. 

He  stated  that  it  was  not  merely  an  intellectual  ap- 
prehension of  his  character  and  deeds,  but  something 
which  every  soul  must  gain  in  order  to  secure  eternal 
life,  something,  as  it  seemed,  which  he  deemed  regen- 
eration. 

He  finally  enunciated  this,  which  seemed  to  be  his 
idea  of  this  indispensable  experience:  ^^  It  is  the  re- 
turn of  God  into  the  human  souV^ 

In  enlarging  on  this,  he  described  something  which 
was  so  vague  and  indefinite  as  to  make  it  useless  to 
attempt  to  state  the  impression  made.  Afterward,  aid 
was  sought  from  one  of  the  preacher's  constant  and 


254  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 

most  "intelligent  hearers.  "  Does  Dr.  Biislinell  believe 
in  a  preexistent  state,  when  God,  in  the  manner  set 
forth,  was  in  the  soul  of  each  human  being  ?  If  not, 
what  does  he  mean  by  a  'return  of  God  into  the 
soul?'  "  After  some  discussion,  this  intelligent  pa- 
rishioner concluded  that  his  meaning  probably  was, 
that  when  we  desire  and  intend  wholly  to  submit 
our  wills  to  that  of  God,  and  to  be  guided  wholly  by 
him,  we  become  in  this  respect  one  with  God.  And 
this  is  what  is  meant  by  God's  return  into  the  soul. 
At  what  previous  time  this  state  of  union  was  experi- 
enced, and  then  lost,  so  that  regeneration  is  its  ''  re- 
turn," seemed  to  remain,  as  it  respects  information  to 
be  gained  from  parishioners,  a  matter  of  hopeless 
speculation. 

In  a  family  of  whom  eight  are  ministers  of  religion, 
and  several  are  theological  professors,  the  one  who 
has  seemed  most  fully  to  agree  with  the  writer  in  ex- 
plaining the  nature  of  regeneration,  is  the  Star  con- 
tributor to  the  Lidependent. 

It  has  been  shown  that  Phrenology  is  antagonistic 
to  the  Augustinian  theory  of  implanted  evil  propensi- 
ties, by  teaching  that  every  faculty,  when  developed 
and  regulated  aright,  tends  to  the  best  good  of  the 
race,  so  that  the  extinction  of  any  faculty  or  propen- 
sity would  not  be  an  improvement,  but  rather  an  in- 
jury to  the  constitution  of  mind. 

In  regard  to  this  brother,  here  referred  to,  the  sys- 
tem of  Phrenology  was  embraced  by  him  before  his 
theological  education  was  commenced,  and  was  never 
relinquished.  In  consequence,  his  mode  of  explain- 
ing the  nature  of  regeneration  has  been  diverse  from 
most  accepted  methods  of  theological  schools.    And 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  255 

yet,  when  the  -writer,  applied  both,  to  his  published 
articles  and  to  some  of  his  most  intelligent,  regular 
hearers,  to  ascertain  if  the  common-sense  view  of  re- 
generation, as  here  stated,  was  in  perfect  agreement 
with  her  brother's  views,  it  seemed  difficult  to  decide. 

In  reading  some  of  the  Star  Papers,  the  common- 
sense  view  of  regeneration  is  clear  and  unmistakable ; 
in  others,  there  are  statements  as  to  the  distinctive  na- 
ture of  Christian  character,  which  seem  to  be  both 
additional  and  diverse.  The  result  is,  an  uncertainty 
as  to  the  exact  idea  of  what  regeneration  consists  in, 
as  taught  by  this  brother.* 

The  editors  of  the  Independent  quote  the  following 
sentence  from  Common  Sense  Applied  to  Religion^  or 
the  Bible  and  the  People,  as  a  statement  of  "the 
doctrine  of  the  new  birth,"  which  is  "  not  materially 
different"  from  that  held  by  "  the  fathers  and  moth- 
ers of  Kew  England  for  eight  successive  genera- 
tions :" 

"  The  *  second  birth'  is  the  sudden  or  the  gradual  entrance  into  a 
life,  in  which  the  will  of  the  Creator  is  to  control  the  self-will  of  the 
creature,  while  under  the  influence  of  love  and  gratitude  to  him, 
and  guided  by  '■  faith'  in  his  teachings,  living  chiefly  for  the  great 
commonwealth  takes  the  place  of  living  chiefly  for  self.  For  this, 
the  supernatural  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  promised  to  all  who  seek 
it,  and  without  this  aid,  success  is  hopeless.  But  the  grand  in- 
strumentahty  is  r^Ai  ^ramm^r  by  parents  and  teachers."  (Common 
Sense,  etc.,  p.  333.) 

Let  this  statement,  by  the  Independent,  of  what 
the  new  birth  consists  in,  as  held  by  the  fathers  and 
mothers  of  Kew  England,  be  compared  with  the  pre- 
ceding account  of  "conversion,"  given  by  a  young 
theologian,  born  in  Connecticut,  and  educated  at  Yale 
*Note  F, 


256  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 

College,  as  the  "  generally  entertained  one,"  and  tlie 
case  is  rendered  increasingly  dificult  and  perplexing. 

In  the  view  of  the  author,  all  theologians  do  so  far 
hold  the  common-sense  theory  of  regeneration,  that 
when  they  find  a  person  whose  will  seems  to  be  en- 
tirely subjected  to  the  will  of  God,  while  "  under  the 
influence  of  love  and  gratitude  to  Him,  and  guided  by 
faith  in  his  teachings,  living  chiefly  for  the  great  com- 
monwealth takes  the  place  of  living  chiefly  for  self'' — such 
a  person  is  regarded  by  them  as  regenerated.  At  the 
same  time,  bound  by  the  Augustine  system,  they  give 
other  views  of  the  nature  of  regeneration,  which  are 
vague  and  conflicting,  as  has  been  illustrated  in  the 
preceding  pages.* 

From  all  this  results  endless  anxiety,  doubt  and 
distress,  in  conscientious  minds,  from  uncertainty 
whether  their  depraved  nature  has  been  changed,  and 
from  perplexity  in  view  of  the  multifarious  modes  of 
teaching  in  regard  to  the  nature  and  signs  of  regen- 
eration. 

From  this,  too,  results  false  confidence  and  indif- 
ference to  right  and  wrong  conduct,  in  those  who 
imagine  they  discover  in  themselves  the  signs  of  a 

*  In  regard  to  the  author  of  the  Conflict  of  Ages,  the  writer  is  still  un- 
certain whether  he  would  or  would  not  assent  to  the  common-sen  se 
view  of  regeneration,  here  stated,  as  exact  and  complete,  or  whether  ho 
supposes  that  the  "  habit  of  sinning,  generated  in  a  preexistent  state," 
is  changed  by  some  direct  operation  of  the  Spirit  of  Grod  on  the  "  na- 
ture" or  faculties  of  the  human  mind,  which  is  antecedent  to  any  right 
voluntary  action  on  the  part  of  man,  and  without  which,  every  moral 
act  of  every  unregenerated  mind  is  "sin,  and  only  sin." 

These  personal  references  are  introduced  to  illustrate  more  effectively 
the  vague  and  diversified  teachings  of  theologians  and  religious  teach- 
ers in  answer  to  the  great  question,  on  which  they  claim  that  an 
eternity  of  blessedness  or  misery  is  depending. 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  257 

regenerated  nature,  whicli  will,  as  they  are  led  to  be- 
lieve, secure  heaven  witliout  reference  to  the  amount 
of  good  or  evil  deeds. 

This  same  incertitude  as  to  what  regeneration  is, 
has  also  tended  to  induce  the  fanaticism,  extravagance 
and  absurdities  often  connected  with  religious  excite- 
ments. 

The  idea  that  there  is  to  be  some  mysterious  change 
in  the  soul  by  the  gift  of  God's  Spirit ;  that  this  is  to 
be  gained  by  prayer ;  that  the  evidence  of  this  change 
is  to  be  found  in  sudden  and  great  mental  agitation  ; 
together  with  the  belief  that  an  eternity  of  misery  or 
bhss  is  depending  on  such  a  change  ;  and  that  death 
is  the  end  of  all  hope — all  this  tends  to  great  extremes 
of  distress  and  excitement. 

Tendencies  of  the  Common-Sense  System. 

In  contrast  to  these  tendencies  of  the  Augustinian 
system,  in-  regard  to  individual  religious  experience, 
we  notice  those  of  the  common-sense  system.  Ac- 
cording to  the  latter,  the  first  birth  brings  man  into, 
existence  as  an  undeveloped  being,  with  perfect  and 
wonderful  capacities  of  knowledge,  enjoyment  and 
self-control.  The  first  period  of  existence  is  neces- 
sarily a  period  of  experimenting ^  in  which  mind  is 
dependent  on  others  for  most  of  the  knowledge  indis- 
pensable to  right  action,  and  also  for  the  training  of 
the  physical,  social  and  moral  habits.  It  is  impossible 
to  choose  aright,  intelligently,  until  a  child  learns  what 
is  right^  and  this  is  a  slow  and  gradual  process.  In 
some  cases,  by  a  careful  training,  early  virtuous  prin- 
ciples and  habits  may  be  so  induced,  that  there  can 
not  be  any  marked  period  in  which  the  niind  comes 


258  TENDENCIESOFTHE 

under  tlie  control  of  a  ruling  purpose  to  obey  all  tHe 
rules  of  rectitude  as  disclosed  by  reason  and  experi- 
ence, or  by  revelations  from  G-od. 

In  other  cases,  tlie  cbild  may  grow  up  to  manbood 
entirely  unregulated  by  any  such  purpose,  while  self- 
gratification,  unrestrained  by  rules,  is  the  perpetual 
aim.  In  such  cases,  a  sudden  change,  in  which  the 
man  forms  and  carries  out  a  ruling  purpose  to  act 
righteously  and  virtuously,  in  all  his  relations  to  man, 
to  Grod  and  to  himself,  may  take  place.  This  change, 
in  the  language  of  common  life,  would  be  expressed 
thus :  *'  The  man  has  begun  a  new  life  ;  he  is  a  new 
creature."  And  by  a  figurative  use  of  language,  the 
change  might  be  called  "  a  new  birth,"  or,  in  theolog- 
ical language,  "regeneration."  In  such  a  case,  the 
chief  desire  or  ruling  passion  would  be,  to  discover  and 
to  obey  all  the  physical,  social  and  moral  laws  of  the 
Creator,  as  they  are  taught  by  reason  and  experience, 
or  by  revelations  from  God. 

Such  an  experience  would  be  properly  expressed  by 
•the  terms,  faith  in  God^  love  to  God,  repentance  toward 
God,  as  these  terms  are  used  hy  men  in  common  life.  Thus 
"regeneration,"  according  to  the  common- sense  sys- 
tem, becomes  an  intelligible,  rational  and  practical 
matter. 

In  case  of  a  revelation  from  God  by  a  prophet  or 
messenger,  confidence  in,  and  obedience  to,  the  teach- 
ings of  that  messenger,  would  be  practical  or  saving 
faith,  both  in  God  and  in  his  messenger  also.  Thus, 
if  Christ  is  proved  to  be  a  messenger  from  God  by 
miracles,  whoever  practically  believes  in  Christ,  believes 
in  God  also.  And  just  so  far  as  a  man  understands 
Christ's  teachings  aright^  and  purposes  to  obey  him, 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  259 

and  carries  out  this  purpose,  just  so  fax  he  has  faith, 
and  love,  and  rep  ntance  toward  God  and  toward 
Christ.  And  as  men  are  named  by  the  name  of  those 
they  obey,  every  man  is  a  true  Christian  just  so  far  as 
he  understands  Christ's  teachings  aright  and  obeys 
them. 

In  this  view  of  the  case,  the  true  "  signs  of  regenera- 
tion^^ would  be  each  person's  consciousness  of  the  great 
end  and  purpose  of  his  life,  and  the  fruits  or  results 
of  this  purpose  in  an  habitual  obedience  to  the  phys- 
ical, social  and  moral  laws  of  Grod,  as  learned  by  rea- 
son, experience  and  revelation.  Thus  the  answer  to 
the  gTeat  question  of  life  becomes  clear,  harmonious 
and  practical,  furnishing  the  means  for  every  person 
to  judge  of  his  own  character  and  prospects. 


CHAPTER    XXXYIII. 

TENDENCIES    OF    THE    TWO    SYSTEMS    IN    REFERENCE 
TO    THE    CHARACTER    OF    GOD. 

It  has  been  shown  (chapter  24)  that  emotive  love, 
in  view  of  noble  and  interesting  traits  of  character,  af- 
fords a  most  powerful  motive  in  securing  voluntary 
hve  or  good  willing  according  to  the  laws  of  Grod. 
This  is  the  grand  reason  why  it  is  so  important  that 
all  his  creatures  should  regard  their  Creator,  whose 
laws  they  must  obey,  as  perfect  in  every  noble  and 
lovable  quality.  This  would  render  it  easy  and  de- 
lightful to  obey  his  will. 

The  principle  of  gratitude  is  the  strongest  in  our 
nature,  in  calling  forth  desires  to  please  another.   This 


260  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 

renders  it  so  important  that  we  sTiould  regard  our 
Maker,  not  only  as  noble  and  lovely,  but  as  tbe  dis- 
penser of  innumerable  and  constant  favors  to  ourselves 
and  to  tbose  whom  we  love. 

The  highest  emotions  of  love  and  gratitude  are 
evoked  when  a  noble  and  lovely  benefactor  conde- 
scends to  humiliation,  suffering,  and  even  to  death  to 
rescue  from  great  calamity.  And  the  greater  the  dan- 
ger and  suffering  from  which  this  goodness  rescues, 
the  stronger  the  gratitude  and  the  desire  to  please  the 
benefactor. 

In  this  view  we  can  conceive  of  no  way  in  which 
our  Creator  could  so  powerfully  influence  his  crea- 
tures to  virtuous  self-sacriflce  for  the  general  good  in 
obedience  to  his  laws,  as  by  such  an  exhibition  on  his 
part. 

It  has  been  shown  [Chapter  28]  that  by  the  light  of 
reason  and  experience  alone,  we  infer  that  our  race 
are  exposed  to  dreadful  risk  and  danger  of  evils, 
which  to  some  will  prove  interminable.  K,  then,  it 
can  be  made  to  appear  that  our  Creator  has  submitted 
to  great  humiliation  and  suffering  to  rescue  us,  and 
that  his  chief  desire  is  that  his  creatures  should  obey 
his  beneficent  laws,  the  strongest  conceivable  motives 
would  be  secured  to  lead  to  glad  obedince  to  the  rules 
of  virtue.  And  having  shown  that  the  chiefend  of  our 
Creator  is  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  make  the  most  pos- 
sible happiness,  we  should  infer  that  he  had  made 
or  would  make  such  a  manifestation  of  his  charac- 
ter to  his  creatures.  And  were  this  revealed  to  us 
as  done,  such  a  revelation  would  properly  be  called 
'^  glad  tidings,"  as  that  which  was  best  fitted  to  save 
men  from  sin  and  suffering. 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  261 

According  to  the  system  of  common  sense,  our 
Creator  is  presented  as  the  Almighty  Father,  who 
forms  each  finite  mind  an  embryo  image  of  his  own 
all  perfect  mind,  with  the  great  design  of  making  all 
the  happiness  possible.  Although  the  highest  hap- 
piness of  each  and  of  all,  depends  on  the  perfect  action 
of  every  mind,  such  action  is  not  possible  in  the  na- 
ture of  things  except  as  a  knowledge  of  his  laws  and 
of  the  motives  to  secure  obedience  are  made  known 
by  finite  educators,  who  must  first  be  trained  them- 
selves by  a  long  and  slow  process.  Thus  every  mind 
is  dependent  for  its  final  success  in  attaining  perfect 
obedience  to  law,  and  for  perfected  happiness,  on  God, 
on  finite  educators  and  on  self. 

In  carrying  forward  the  development  and  education 
of  our  race,  the  Creator  always  has  done  and  always 
will  do  the  best  that  is  jpossiUe  for  the  good  of  all.  And 
yet,  so  far  as  reason  and  experience  teach,  some  will  be 
rmned  for  ever.  The  deteriorating  process  begun  in 
this  life,  and  its  baleful  results,  will  continue  for  ever. 

The  great  consummation,  when  those  that  are  hope- 
lessly ruined  will  be  separated  from  the  good,  is  at  an 
indefinite  period  ahead,  and  may  be  many  ages,  while 
the  same  process  of  labor  and  training  are  proceeding 
in  the  unseen  world,  and  yet  so  that  the  conduct  and 
character  formed  in  this  life  have  a  decided  influence 
on  the  whole  course  of  existence  that  follows. 

Thus  when  the  good  man  dies  we  may  hope  that 
his  upward  career  is  eternally  secure.  But  when  the 
wicked  die  there  must  be  "a  certain  fearful  looking 
for  of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation." 

The  Creator  does,  has  done,  and  will  do  all  that  is 


262  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 

possible  to  save  all  that  can  be  saved  from  this  doom, 
and  as  the  highest  possible  motives  we  can  conceive 
to  secure  this  end,  would  be  the  appearance  of  our 
Creator  in  human  form  as  a  teacher  of  his  laws,  an 
example  of  virtue  and  a  self-sacrificing  Saviour,  we 
infer  that  he  has  done  or  will  do  this,  at  the  time  and 
in  the  manner  which  is  best  fitted  to  the  great  end  in 
view. 

The  Augustinian  system  presents  a  view  of  the 
character  and  conduct  of  the  Creator  in  mournful 
contrast  to  this. 

Our  only  idea  of  a  perfectly  benevolent  being  is 
that  of  one  who  prefers  happiness  to  suffering,  and 
who  does  all  in  Ms  power  to  promote  one  and  prevent 
the  other.  Our  only  idea  of  a  malevolent  being  is, 
that  he  wills  misery  when  he  has  full  power  to  make 
happiness  in  its  stead.  Our  only  evidence  of  the  moral 
character  of  a  being  (or  that  exhibited  in  willing)  is 
the  nature  of  his  works.  On  the  Augustinian  theory, 
all  the  chief  works  of  the  Creator's  hand,  the  immor- 
tal minds,  which  alone  give  value  to  any  other  exist- 
ences, are  depraved  so  totally  that  there  is  no  really 
good  act  done  by  any  one  of  them  till  created  anew. 

In  other  words,  the  Creator,  having  full  power  to 
make  every  mind  perfect  in  nature,  and  who  still  has 
power  to  re-create  all  with  perfect  natures,  has  insti- 
tuted a  system  by  which  the  sin  of  one  man  entails  a 
depraved  nature  on  a  whole  race,  while  the  evil  as  yet 
has  been  remedied  only  in  the  case  of  a  small,  "  elect" 
number.  All  the  rest  are  doomed  to  eternal  misery 
for  conduct  which  is  the  certain  consequence  of  this 
misformed  nature. 

To  save  men  from  the  punishment  of  the  sins  con- 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  263 

sequent  on  their  depraved  nature,  Christ,  the  most 
perfect  and  only  unsinning  being  that  ever  visited 
earth,  undergoes  deep  humiHation  and  excruciating 
sufferings. 

To  call  such  conduct  as  this  just^  or  hind^  or  merci- 
ful, is  a  violation  of  all  our  ideas  of  the  meaning  of 
such  terms.  What  kindness  is  there  m  giving  exist- 
ence to  any  being  on  such  terms  ?  What  blessings 
are  all  the  comforts  and  enjoyments  of  this  life,  so 
soon  to  be  snatched  away,  thus  making  the  contrast 
of  future  misery  so  much  the  more  horrible  ?  What 
mercy  is  there  in  any  mode  of  rectifying  a  wrong  so 
needlessly  inflicted  ?  What  mercy,  or  what  justice  is 
there  in  adding  to  all  the  miseries  of  our  race  the  suf- 
ferings of  so  noble  and  lovely  a  being  as  Jesus  Christ, 
when  all,  and  more  than  all,  effected  by  his  agonies, 
could  be  so  much  more  justly  and  reasonably  secured 
by  regenerating  all  the  minds  thus  needlessly  ruined 
in  their  nature  ?  This  strange  and  mysterious  trans- 
action only  adds  to  the  terror  and  gloom  that  shroud 
such  a  Creator,  %hose  character  can  be  learned  only 
by  the  nature  of  his  works. 

To  call  all  this  a  mystery  is  a  misuse  of  terms,  for 
there  is  no  mystery  about  it.  More  direct,  clear,  and 
open  injustice,  folly  and  malevolence,  can  not  possibly 
be  expressed  in  human  language  than  that  here  set 
forth  and  ascribed  to  God. 

Every  mind  instinctively  asks,  why  did  not  the 
Creator  give  us  a  perfect  nature  when  he  has  the 
power  to  do  so  ?  Why  does  he  not  stop  all  the  sin 
and  misery  resulting  from  the  depraved  nature  of 
man  by  regenerating  all,  when  he  has  power  to  do 
so  ?     How  can  we  either  respect  or  love  a  being  who 


264:  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 

has  done  sucTi  awful  and  endless  "vvrong  to  onr  race, 
and  for  no  conceivable  good  made  known  to  ns  ? 
What  cause  of  gratitude  for  the  sufferings  and  death 
of  Christ  to  save  the  few  of  us  who  alone  are  to  escape 
from  such  needless  and  intolerable  evils  ? 

Meantime,  the  various  theories  invented  to  relieve 
the  baleful  impression  thus  made  as  to  the  character 
of  our  Creator,  only  add  new  difficulties. 

To  saj  that  this  perpetuated  mode  of  bringing 
ruined  minds  into  existence,  is  a  penalty  for  a  single 
sin  of  the  first  pair,  thousands  of  years  ago,  what  a  vi- 
olation of  all  our  ideas  of  justice  !  To  say  that  this 
transaction  is  just  because  Adam  was  "  regarded''''  by 
God  as  "  the  federal  head"  of  our  race,  and  that  he 
"  imputes"  the  sin  of  the  father  to  all  his  descendants, 
what  is  this,  to  our  conceptions,  but  puerile  folly  added 
to  the  baldest  cruelty  and  injustice  ? 

To  say  that  we  all  "  sinned  in  Adam,"  thousands 
of  years  before  we  were  born,  and  are  punished  by  a 
ruined  nature,  so  far  as  we  can  conceive  of  such  an 
absurd  proposition,  what  is  this  peiA,lty  better  than 
inflicting  endless  tortures  on  myriads  of  new-born 
infants  for  their  first  ignorant  and  unconscious  sin? 

To  say  that  man^  or  Adam  is  the  author  of  all  this 
ineffable  wrong,  because  it  is  done  by  "  a  constitu- 
tional transmission"  from  parent  to  child,  of  which 
God  is  the  author,  when  he  had  full  power  to  make 
each  child  perfect  in  nature,  what  is  this  but  adding 
to  cruelty  and  injustice  a  mean  subterfuge  in  order  to 
cast  the  blame  on  Adam  and  his  race  ? 

The  mind  turns  from  a  God  so  represented,  with 
horror  and  dismay,  and  it  is  only  by  concealing  this 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  265 

system,  by  representations  that  are  'perfectly  contradio- 
tory^  that  the  baleful  impression  is  lessened. 

The  view  of  God's  character  thus  presented  by  the 
Augustinian  theory,  not  only  lessens  the  power  of  mo- 
tive which  the  common-sense  view  of  the  Creator's 
character  affords,  but  brings  a  powerful  positive  influ- 
ence to  turn  the  human  mind  from  that  love  and  obe- 
dience toward  God  which  is  so  indispensable  to  peace 
and  happiness. 


CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

TENDENCIES    OF   THE    TWO    SYSTEMS    AS    TO    CHURCH 
ORaANIZATIONS. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  common-sense  theory 
teaches  that  all  mankind  must,  in  order  to  eternal 
happiness,  be  trained  by  human  agencies  to  choose 
what  is  hest^  guided  by  the  laws  of  Gpd,  as  learned  by 
experience  or  by  revelation. 

Under  the  guidance  of  this  general  principle,  associ- 
ated bodies  would  result,  whose  aim  would  be  dis- 
cussion and  instruction  to  discover  and  perpetuate  a 
'knowledge  of  the  rules  of  rectitude,  and  to  secure  all 
those  motives  which  experience  has  proved  to  be  most 
effective  in  securing  obedience  to  these  rules.  In  oth- 
er words,  the  chief  end  of  such  associations  would  be 
to  find  out  what  is  hest  and  thus  right,  and  also  the 
hest  modes  of  securing  right  action. 

The  experience  of  mankind  has  shown  that  the 
most  effective  way  to  extend  and  perpetuate  any  re- 
ligion is  to  have  a  body  of  men  supported  who  shall 

12 


26Q  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 

give  their  chief  energies  and  time  to  this  object.  So- 
cial gatherings  at  regular  periods  have  also  been  found 
effective  to  this  end.  In  short,  were  a  system  of  re- 
ligion established,  founded  exclusively  and  consistently 
on  experience  and  common  sense,  it  would  include 
sabbaths  of  interrupted  worldly  affairs,  social  gather- 
ings to  promote  worshipful  obedience  to  the  Creator 
and  a  body  of  men  educated  and  sustained  for  the  ex- 
press purpose  of  discovering,  instructing  in  and  per- 
petuating the  intellectual,  social,  moral  and  religious 
interests  of  humanity.  Such  a  ministry  would  be  not 
dogmatic  teachers,  but  leaders  in  discussions  and  in- 
vestigations. 

The  great  aim  of  all  these  arrangements  would  be  to 
discover  by  inquiry  and  discussion  what  is  best  in  all 
human  interests  and  affairs,  in  view  of  the  immortal- 
ity of  man,  and  the  risks  and  dangers  of  eternity,  and 
also  to  devise  the  best  modes  of  influencing  all  to  right 
action. 

Were  this  life  the  end  of  our  being,  and  were  all 
questions  of  right  and  wrong  to  be  settled  in  reference 
to  the  well-being  of  our  race  in  this  short  span,  no 
such  separate  class  of  religious  leaders  and  organized 
instrumentalities  would  be  needful.  But  if  men  are 
to  be  trained  to  act  with  reference  to  the  invisible 
state  as  the  chief  <  concern,  then  organized  instrumen- 
talities to  resist  the  overruling  tide  of  worldliness  be- 
come indispensable. 

The  full  tendencies  of  such  organizations,  based  exr- 
clusively  on  the  principles  of  common  sense,  must  be  a 
matter  of  speculation  merely,  for  the  world  has  had 
no  experience  of  this  kind.  As  yet  we  have  only  the 
experience  of  mankind  as  to  systems  in  which  the 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  267 

teachings  of  common  sense  have  been  combined  with 
contradictory  influences  of  false  dogmas,  which  have 
been  sustained  bj  the  strongest  organizations,  civil 
and  ecclesiastical. 

We  will  now  trace  some  of  the  tendencies  of  the 
Augustinian  system  as  they  have  been  exhibited  in 
the  history  of  church  organizations. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  Augustinian  theory  of  a 
depraved  nature  is  the  foundation  doctrine  alike  of  the 
Catholic  and  the  Protestant  churches.  All  agree  that 
man  by  nature  is  so  miserably  misformed  that  the  gift 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  purchased  by  Christ  to  re-create 
is  his  sole  hope  of  escape  from  everlasting  perdition, 
while  there  is  little  or  no  ability  to  understand  or  obey 
God's  revealed  will  until  this  gift  is  imparted.  From 
this  originated  a  priesthood  as  the  medium  through 
which  this  renewing  gift  is  to  be  obtained,  and  who 
are  the  only  authorized  interpreters  of  God's  revealed 
will.  The  transmission  of  this  power  through  the  rite 
of  ordination,  preserved  in  direct  succession  from  the 
apostles,  is  the  leading  point  in  the  Episcopal  organi- 
zation. Still  more  is  this  carried  out  to  extreme  re- 
sults in  the  Catholic  church. 

Both  organizations  assume  that  "  the  church"  which 
has  this  power,  does  not  include  the  people^  but  is  the 
priesthood  alone.  It  is  the  ecclesiastics  of  these  church- 
es who  are  to  interpret  the  Bible  for  the  people,  and 
the  people  are  to  receive  these  decisions  as  from  God. 
This  is  the  theory^  while  common  sense  and  the  Bible 
have  more  or  less  modified  its  practical  adoption,  es- 
pecially in  the  Episcopal  churches. 

The  Puritans  of  England  were  the  first  among  the 
Protestants  who  organized  churches  as  consisting  sole- 


268  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 

ly  of  those  who  "profess"  to  be  "regenerated"  on  the 
theory  of  the  renewal  of  the  depraved  nature  derived 
from  Adam.  To  this  profession  in  most  cases  must 
be  added  an  examination  by  persons  who  are  regen- 
erated in  order  to  ascertain  whether  the  true  signs 
of  a  new  nature,  according  to  their  pattern,  really  ex- 
ist Such  churches  are  a  close  corporation,  having  a 
minister  to  preach  and  administer  baptism  and  the 
sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  deacons,  elders, 
or  committees  to  decide  who  shall  be  received  as  re- 
generate or  turned  out  as  unregenerate. 

Among  the  Puritans  and  their  descendants  origi- 
nated another  practice  which  has  become  prevalent,  by 
which  the  churches  thus  organized  as  regenerated  per- 
sons, also  claim  the  right  of  infallible  interpreters  of  the 
Bible,  so  far  as  to  exclude  all  from  their  communion 
who  do  not  profess  to  agree  with  their  interpretations. 
That  is  to  say,  all  persons,  in  order  to  be  admitted  to 
their  corporation  and  to  the  Lord's  table,  must  not 
only  profess  to  be  regenerate  in  the  nature  transmit- 
ted from  Adam,  but  must  confess  that  they  interpret 
the  Bible  according  to  the  notions  of  the  church  they 
seek  to  join. 

It  will  now  be  shown  that  most  of  our  large  de- 
nominations in  this  country  are  so  founded  on  the 
Augustinian  dogma  that  were  the  people  all  to  give  up 
this  theory  the  whole  basis  of  sectarianism  would  be 
destroyed. 

The  Congregational  and  Baptist  denominations  are 
severed  simply  in  reference  to  the  rite  of  baptism  as 
the  mode  of  admission  to  their  regenerated  churches. 
The  Congregationalists  hold  that  baptism  should  be 
administered  by  sprinkling,  and  to  the  infants  of 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  269 

clmrcli  members  as  well  as  to  adults  joining  tlie  church. 
The  Baptists  hold  that  baptism  should  be  adminis- 
tered bj  immersion,  and  only  to  adults  who  join  the 
church.     This  is  all  that  divides  the  two  sects. 

Of  course,  if  all  the  people  ceased  to  hold  that 
churches  are  to  consist  of  persons  whose  nature  le- 
ceived  from  Adam  is  re-created,  all  churches  associ- 
ated on  the  theory  would  be  ended,  and  so  these  dis- 
putes about  modes  of  admission  would  be  ended. 

Again,  the  Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists 
separate  on  the  question  of  the  appointment  and  du- 
ties of  the  officers  of  their  churches.  The  Congrega- 
tionahsts  manage  by  church  committees.  Each  church 
is  the  sole  tribunal  in  its  own  affairs,  thus  being  strict- 
ly democratic.  The  Presbyterian  churches,  manage 
the  business  of  each  church  by  sessions  or  elders  ap- 
pointed by  the  church,  and  when  they  fail  to  give  sat- 
isfaction, an  appeal  is  made  to  a  Presbytery  consisting 
of  ministers  and  elders  of  several  churches. 

Thus  again,  if  churches  organized  on  the  Augus^ 
tine  theory  of  the  regeneration  of  a  depraved  nature 
should  cease,  this  dispute  in  regard  to  church  officers 
would  end,  and  the  Presbyterians,  Congregationalists, 
and  Baptists  would  find  all  ground  for  separation  gone. 

Again,  the  old  and  new  school  Presbyterian  church- 
es separate  on  questions  relating  to  man's  ability  to  re- 
generate himself  and  in  regard  to  what  is  the  nature 
of  regeneration. 

This  all  depends  on  the  fact  of  a  depraved  nature 
transmitted  from  Adam  to  be  regenerated.  If  this 
dogma  is  relinquished  by  the  people  then  these  two 
sects  will  have  no  ground  for  division. 

Again,  the  Methodists  differ  from  the  other  Au- 


270  TENDENCIES    OF   THE 

gustinian  sects  chiefly  in  regard  to  the  officers  and 
management  of  churches  organized  on  the  theory  of 
a  depraved  nature  received  from  Adam,  which  is  to 
be  regenerated.  And  if  such  organizations  were  end- 
ed the  ground  of  separation  between  the  Methodists 
and  the  preceding  sects  would  be  removed. 

Again,  the  Episcopalian  sect  is  founded  on  the  idea 
of  a  succession  of  ordained  priests  through  whose  agen- 
cy the  gift  of  God's  Spirit  to  renew  our  depraved  na- 
ture and  to  impart  the  true  interpretation  of  his  reve- 
lations is  to  be  obtained. 

If,  then,  the  people  discard  the  dogma  of  a  depraved 
nature  consequent  on  Adam's  sin,  and  assume  that 
they  have  perfect  natures,  and  are  authorized  to  inter- 
pret the  Bible  for  themselves,  the  chief  ground  for  the 
existence  of  this  as  a  separate  sect  will  be  removed. 
The  CathoHc  church  also  would  soon  be  ended  as  a 
distinct  sect  were  all  the  people  of  that  church  to  dis- 
card these  and  all  opinions  and  practices  immediately 
or  remotely  based  on  the  Augustinian  dogma. 

The  preceding  will  serve  to  illustrate  the  position 
that  the  tendency  of  the  common-sense  system  is  to 
unite  all  men  in  efforts  to  discover  and  to  obey  all 
the  laws  of  Grod  for  maldng  happiness  the  hest  way  for 
time  and  eternity. 

On  the  contrary,  the  Augustinian  system  tends  to 
organize  mankind  into  sects  contending,  not  for  truth 
and  happiness,  but  for  certain  outward  rites  and  forms 
of  organization. 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  271 

CHAPTER    XL. 

TENDENCIES    OF    THE    TWO    SYSTEMS    IN   REGARD    TO 
HUMILITY,    MEEKNESS    AND   A    TEACHABLE    SPIRIT. 

The  result  of  receiving  church  interpretations  as  in- 
fallible^ whether  of  priests  or  regenerated  laity,  is  the 
assumption  of  a  similar  infallibility  by  each  person 
"who  thus  accepts  them. 

This  is  accompHshed  by  a  very  singular  fallacv, 
thus: 

The  regularly  ordained  priests,  or  the  regenerated 
priests  and  laity  of  the  true  church,  are  claimed  to  be 
the  only  persons  qualified  to  understand  and  interpret 
the  meaning  of  God's  revelations.  The  question  then 
is,  which  is  the  true  church  ?  The  Catholic  says,  "Mine, 
and  no  other."  The  Episcopalian  says,  "  Mine,  and  no 
other;"  and  so  says  the  Presbyterian.  The  result  is, 
each  man  decides  that  the  true  church  is  the  one  that 
agrees  with  his  vieivs  of  what  the  Bible  teaches. 

Having  thus  decided  that  the  church  that  agrees 
with  himself  is  the  true  church,  the  man  proceeds,  not 
only  to  receive  reverently  the  decisions  of  his  church, 
but  assumes  that  every  other  man  is  bound  to  do  the 
same. 

The  Catholic  receives  one  set  of  interpretations  from 
the  church  that  he  himself  has  infallibly  decided  to  be 
the  true  church.  The  Protestant  receives  the  creeds 
and  confessions  of  the  church  he  has  infallibly  decided 
to  be  the  true  church,  whose  regenerated  ministers  and 
members  are  qualified  to  understand  the  Bible,  as  no 
unregenerated  man  can  do. 

Being  thus  sustained  by  his  own  claims  as  a  regen- 


272  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 

erated  person,  and  also  bj  the  claims  of  the  church  he 
adopts  as  the  true  one,  there  is  little  foundation  for 
poverty  of  spirit,  humility  and  meekness.  How  can 
a  man  feel  "  poor  in  spirit,"  as  destitute  of  the  knowl- 
edge requisite  for  right  action,  when  he  has  his  own 
regenerated  mind  and  the  guidance  of  the  regenerated 
true  church  ?  How  can  a  man  be  meek  when  others 
strive  to  enlighten  him  by  showing  that  he  is  in  the 
wrong,  especially  when  such  efforts  are  those  of  the 
unregenerated,  or  those  shut  out  of  his  true  church  ? 

How  can  a  man  become  very  humble  and  lowly  in 
his  own  conceit,  when,  in  contrast  with  most  of  the 
world,  he  alone  can  feel  and  act  virtuously  or  un- 
derstand truly  God's  revelations  ? 

The  natural  tendency  to  pride,  self-sufficiency  and 
dogmatism  is  still  further  increased  by  the  assumption 
that  humility  consists  mainly  in  a  low  opinion  of  '*  the 
nature"  with  which  we  are  endowed.  Thus,  while  as- 
suming infallibility  in  one  aspect,  they  still  can  claim 
to  be  humble  and  lowly,  because  they  abhor  and  de- 
spise their  depraved  nature  and  its  results  in  them- 
selves. 

At  the  same  time,  the  most  remarkable  self-decep- 
tion is  practiced  in  regard  to  their  own  Christian 
graces.  These  all  being  supposed  to  spring  from  a 
regenerated  nature  imparted  by  God,  they  disclaim 
all  honor  or  merit,  and  give  all  the  glory  to  God,  who 
has  wrought  these  graces  from  their  dead  and  sinful 
nature.  By  this  method  they  imagine  they  attain  a 
true  humility  and  lowliness  of  spirit. 

But  every  man  of  great  genius,  and  every  woman 
of  uncommon  beauty,  understand  as  truly  as  the  pro- 
fessedly regenerated  person,  that  their  gifts  are  from 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  273 

God,  and  are  willing  to  give  all  the  glory  to  him  for 
thus  distinguishing  them  from  their  fellow-creatures. 
And  the  ascription  of  all  the  power  and  glory  to  God 
does  not  save  the  professedly  regenerated  person  from 
self-complacency  and  pride  any  more  than  it  does  the 
genius  or  the  beauty. 

And  yet  we  find  religious  writings  abounding  in 
such  disclaimers  and  ascriptions,  which  are  evidently 
regarded  as  proofs  of  humility  and  lowliness  of  spirit. 
It  is  true  that  such  expressions  do  often  flow  from 
the  hearts  of  the  really  humble  and  contrite  ;  but  the 
fact  that  a  person  regards  and  acknowledges  God  as 
the  author  of  his  own  extraordinary  gifts,  that  raise 
him  above  his  fellows,  is  no  j^roof  of  humility,  while 
it  is  often  so  regarded. 

In  contrast  to  this  tendency  of  the  Augustinian 
system,  the  common-sense  view  teaches  that  while  our 
nature  is  noble  and  perfect  in  construction — ^the  em- 
bryo image  of  its  Maker— it  is  destitute  of  that  knowl- 
edge, experience  and  training,  for  which  it  is  equally 
dependent  on  God  and  on  man.  And  as  the  requisite 
knowledge  can  be  gained  only  by  the  aid  of  those 
minds  around,  whose  happiness  is  affected  by  our  con- 
duct, it  is  clear  that  a  willingness  to  learn  from  any 
quarter  and  to  be  told  our  mistakes  by  any  person,  is 
the  natural  result  of  an  earnest  desire  to  fiad  out  and 
obey  the  truth.  And  a  consciousness  of  our  own  li- 
abilities to  mistakes,  and  a  certainty  that  there  is  no 
one  "that  Hveth  and  sinneth  not,"  tends  to  induce 
compassionate  sympathy  for  the  failings  of  others,  and 
an  indisposition  to  force  opinions  on  them  by  any 
other  mode  than  calm  statement  and  argument. 

At  the  same  time,  an  earnest  desire  for  inquiry  and 
12* 


274  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 

discussion  is  generated,  wliicli  naturally  leads  to  pa- 
tient investigation,  courteous  demeanor  towards  op- 
ponents, and  to  all  the  graces  that  wait  on  a  gentle, 
humble  and  truth-loving  spirit. 


CHAPTER    XLI. 


TENDENCIES  OP  THE  TWO  SYSTEMS  IN  REaARD  TO 
DOGMATISM,  PERSECUTION  AND  ECCLESIASTICAL 
TYRANNY. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  Angustinian  system, 
teaching  as  it  does  man's  depraved  nature  and  desti- 
tution of  any  principles  of  right  guidance  in  his  own 
mind,  makes  him  wholly  dependent  not  only  on  rev- 
elations from  his  Creator,  but  on  infallible  interpreters. 

Thus  we  find  that  wherever  this  system  became 
dominant  there  has  coexisted  the  claim  that  the  jpeo- 
'ple  are  not  to  decide,  each  one  for  himself,  what  are 
the  teachings  of  reason,  experience  and  revelation  as 
to  truth  and  duty.  Instead  of  this,  first  it  was  popes 
and  councils,  in  which  the  laity  had  no  voice ;  next, 
as  among  the  Puritans,  it  was  the  church,  including 
both  the  clergy  and  the  regenerated  portion  of  their 
flocks. 

From  this  resulted  religious  persecutions,  in  this 
manner :  Men  are  to  obey  God  as  their  first  duty. 
The  church  is  Grod's  mouth-piece  to  interpret  his  com- 
mands to  mankind.  If  men  refuse  to  obey  God, 
speaking  through  his  church,  they  must  be  forced  to 
do  so  by  pains  and  penalties.  And  as  in  view  of  eter- 
nal happiness  and  eternal  misery,  all  earthly  interests 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  275 

are  as  nothing,  every  temporal  consideration  must  be 
put  out  of  account.  Moreover,  whoever  leads  men  to 
disobey  the  church  and  thus  to  disobey  God,  and  so  to 
peril  not  only  their  own  eternal  welfare,  but  that  of 
others,  commits  a  greater  crime  than  is  done  by  vi- 
olating any  human  ordinances.  Therefore,  the  heavi- 
est penalties  should  be  employed  to  enforce  obedience 
to  the  church,  and  the  church  must  take  precedence 
of  the  civil  government. 

Thus  it  came  to  pass  that  the  more  sincere,  conscien- 
tious and  benevolent  a  person  was,  while  holding  these 
views,  the  more  surely  would  he  become  a  persecutor. 

The  pages  of  history  give  many  mournful  illustra- 
tions of  this  truth.  One  of  the  most  striking  will  be 
here  introduced. 

Isabella  of  Spain,  by  whose  generosity  this  western 
world  was  discovered,  was  one  of  the  most  gentle, 
conscientious,  benevolent  and  lovely  characters  that 
ever  adorned  a  throne. 

She  was  trained  to  believe  the  church  to  be  the  rep- 
resentative of  God  on  earth,  and  her  father  confessor, 
Torquemada,  the  originator  of  the  Inquisition,  was  the 
guide  of  her  conscience.  By  his  commands  the  Inqui- 
sition reared  its  horrid  dungeons.  By  his  counsel  the 
industrious,  cultivated  and  chivalrous  Moors,  the  most 
useful  of  all  her  subjects,  were  driven  from  their  na- 
tive soil.  By  his  commands  the  Jews  were  brought 
to  the  cruel  alternative  of  giving  up  their  religion  or 
relinquishing  all  that  made  life  dear.  And  thus  the 
historian  narrates  this  dreadful  tale  of  religious  per- 
secution : 

"  The  experiment  of  conversion  was  tried  upon  the  Jews,  and 
it  utterly  and  totally  failed.     In  the  first  place,  their  position  in 


276  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 

Christian  society  was  a  source  of  continual  discussion.  ^  If  we 
admit  them  to  public  offices,  we  have  gained  nothing,'  said  the 
mercantile  classes.  '  If  we  exclude  them,'  said  the  clergy,  '  what 
motive  is  held  out  for  the  rest  to  join  us  ?'  But  as  a  rehgious  ex- 
periment, the  failure  was  even  more  complete.  The  fathers  were 
nominal  converts,  and  nominal  converts  the  children  continued  to 
be.  Ostentatiously  they  attended  mass ;  but  in  their  own  houses 
their  Sabbath  was  kept,  their  ritual  was  read,  their  psalms  were 
sung.  Meantime,  intercourse  and  intermarriage  with  Christians 
became  more  fatally  easy  than  it  had  been  before.  Shunned  by 
the  middle  classes,  they  intermarried  with  the  '  blue  blood'  of  the 
nobihty,  they  entered  the  priesthood,  and  ascended  the  highest 
steps  of  the  Catholic  hierarchy,  Nay,  they  became,  more  than 
once,  inquisitors,  and  wielded  against  their  foes  with  cynical  hatred 
the  terrors  of  the  Holy  Office.  Of  the  Inquisition  there  is  no  space 
to  speak  here  ;*  sufficient  to  say  that  the  '  New  Christians'  were 
the  chief  cause  of  its  institution,  and  that  during  the  eighteen 
years  that  Torquemada  held  office,  ten  thousand  persons  were 
burned  alive. 

"  But  two  thirds  of  the  Jews  of  Spain  had  remained  uncon- 
verted ;  and  with  them  the  Inquisition  had  nothing  to  do ;  for 
they  were  under  special  laws  and  under  royal  protection.  But 
Torquemada  had  not  forgotten  them.  Working  on  the  pride  of 
Ferdiriand,  on  the  conscience  of  Isabella,  he  persuaded  them  to 
sign  the  celebrated  Edict  of  Exile.  They  were  to  leave  Spain  in 
three  months.  They  were  to  take  neither  silver  nor  gold  with 
them.  If  it  pleased  Grod  to  change  their  hearts,  the  church 
would  most  wilhngly  receive  them. 

"  Ruinous  alike  to  banisher  and  banished,  this  edict  had  cost  a 
struggle.  Isaac  Abarbenel,  wealthy,  learned,  high  in  royal  favor, 
rushed  into  the  queen's  audience-chamber,  on  hearing  what  till 
• 

*  The  extent  to  which  Judaism  had  spread  among  the  upper  ranks 
is  strikingly  shown  by  the  fact  that  one  of  the  first  inquisitors,  Peter 
Arbues,  was  assassinated  by  a  conspiracy  formed  of  the  chief  officers 
of  the  Arragonese  government,  who  were  most  of  them,  according  to 
Llorente,  of  Jewish  blood  or  connections.  The  Inquisition,  however, 
was  odious  on  other  grounds,  as  a  royalist  institution,  like  our  Star 
Chamber.— See  Llorente's  History  of  Inquisition. 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  277 

Jien  had  been  carefully  concealed  from  his  nation,  threw  himself 
at  her  feet,  and  doubtless  won  her  over  for  the  moment.  To  Fer- 
dinand he  offered  thirty  thousand  ducats.  But,  in  the  wavering 
of  debate,  Torquemada  appeared  suddenly.  '  Judas,'  he  said, 
'  sold  his  master  for  thirty  pieces.  Your  Majesties,  it  seems,  want 
thirty  thousand.  Here  He  is ;  take  Him ;  and  what  ye  do,  do 
quickly !'  Dashing  a  crucifix  on  the  table,  he  left  them.  The 
omen  was  clear,  and  the  die  was  cast. 

"  To  the  Jews  one  road  of  deliverance  was  still  left.  To  renounce 
the  outward  garb  of  their  religion,  never  again  to  pass  the  thres- 
hold of  a  synagogue,  never  to  chant  a  Hebrew  hymn  nor  keep  a 
Hebrew  Sabbath ;  to  change  every  household  custom,  to  break 
all  the  rules  of  life,  dear  from  the  nursery  and  clung  to  on  the  bed 
of  death ;  to  repeat  a  false  creed,  to  enter  an  idolatrous  temple, 
to  kneel  down  with  God's  enemies ; — this  road  was  open,  though 
treading  it  they  would  have  trampled  on  their  fathers'  tombs.  Yet, 
on  the  other  hand,  thousands  had  taken  that  course;  and  would 
tell  them  that  strict  adherence  to  the  laws  of  the  land  they  lived 
in,  abstinence  from  all  that  might  offend,  performance  of  harmless 
superstitions,  bowing  down  for  a  season  in  the  house  of  Rimmon, 
that  this  was  a  course  plainly  marked  out  by  Providence.  The 
loss,  too,  that  they  would  suffer  in  exile  was  immense ;  and  we 
must  estimate  this  loss  before  we  can  estimate  the  worth  of  those 
who  chose  to  suffer. 

"  We  have  seen  the  Jews  of  France  leave  it,  enter  it,  leave  it 
again,  and  count  the  value  of  their  sojourn  at  exactly  the  price  at 
which  reentrance  could  be  bought.  It  was  a  market-stall,  a  field 
for  acquisition ;  but  it  was  not  the  seat  of  Jewish  learning,  it  was 
not  the  resting  place  of  their  fathers  for  many  generations. 

"  Now  Spain  was  sometliing  more  to  them  than  this.  It  was 
no  foreign  soil,  passed  and  repassed  with  the  indifference  of  a 
stranger.  They  had  Kved  there  for  twelve  hundred  years.  They 
had  seen  the  Teutonic  forest-creeds  moulded  and  melted  into  the 
new  faith  of  Eome.  They  had  seen  the  Ishmaehte  sweep  that  faith 
away.  By  him  they  had  been  welcomed  as  brothers.  With  him 
they  had  lit  the  lamp  of  science  when  all  the  world  was  dark.  Then 
they  had  seen  the  Cross  rise  from  the  northern  mountains,  and  the 
Crescent  wane  and  wane  before  it.  By  the  kings  of  Christian  Spain 


278  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 

their  worth  had  been  acknowledged;  they  had  fostered  their  trade; 
they  had  called  them  to  their  councils ;  they  had  befriended  and 
loved  them.  Persecution  and  jealousy  had  driven  many  of  their 
brethren  to  accept  another  creed ;  but  the  new  Christians  were 
Jews  still ;  they  had  married  their  daughters  to  the  proudest  no- 
bles of  a  race  where  the  peasant  was  proud ;  and  not  a  duke  in  all 
Spain  could  despise  them  without  despising  his  own  mother's  blood. 
Spain,  too,  was  the  land  where  Jewish  wisdom  had  unfolded  and 
blossomed.  Their  physicians  and  their  astronomers  were  the  first 
in  Europe.  Their  poets  and  their  philosophers  were  eminent  among 
their  nation.  The  psalms  of  Jehuda  Halevi  were  sung  in  the  syn- 
agogues of  the  Ehine.  Aben  Esra  had  eclipsed  the  fame  of  the  great 
Eastern  school  of  Pombeditha ;  above  all,  Spain  claimed  the  son  of 
Maimon,  the  great  prophet  of  the  Exile,  famed  from  the  Seine  to 
the  Euphrates  as  the  second  Moses. 

"  Such,  besides  escape  from  utter  ruin,  were  the  temptations  to 
apostacy.  And  those  who  issued  the  decree  fully  hoped  that 
apostacy  would  have  been  its  result.  Every  means  was  taken. 
*  In  the  pubUc  squares,  in  the  synagogues,  CathoHc  preachers  thun- 
dered forth  invective  against  the  Hebrew  heresy.'  They  might 
thunder — ^they  were  not  heard. 

"  '  Come,'  said  their  priests  and  elders,  '  let  us  strengthen  our- 
selves in  our  faith  and  in  the  teachings  of  our  God,  against  the 
voice  of  the  oppressor,  and  the  scorn  of  the  enemy.  If  they  de- 
stroy us — ^well ;  if  they  will  let  us  Hve — well ;  but  we  wiU  not 
depart  from  the  Covenant,  neither  make  our  hearts  froward ;  but 
we  will  go  forth  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  our  God,  who  saved  our 
fathers  from  Egypt,  and  brought  them  through  the  Red  Sea.' 

"  The  spirit  of  Moses  and  of  Joshua  rested  on  the  aged  rabbis, 
and  theh  words  prevailed.  Few  in  number  and  bold  in  coward- 
ice were  those  who  yielded.  They  made  ready  for  this  second 
Exodus  where  no  Canaan  gUstened  in  the  distance.  Forced  to 
sell  their  possessions  in  three  months,  forbidden  to  sell  them  for 
gold,  they  were  glad  to  exchange  large  houses  or  estates  for  an 
ass  or  mule,  or  for  such  trifling  articles  of  travel  as  the  wish  to  be 
first  at  the  spoiling  might  induce  purchasers  to  supply. 

"Eastward,  westward,  northward — to  Africa,  to  Portugal,  to 
Italy  and  the  Levant, — half  a  million  Jews  went  forth.     Eighty 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  279 

thousand  sought  shelter  in  Portugal,  but  did  not  find  it.  Thou- 
sands fell  into  the  hands  of  the  barbarians  of  Fez.  They  were 
sold  for  slaves ;  they  were  left  to  starve  on  desert  isles ;  their 
bodies,  yet  living,  were  ripped  open  for  the  hidden  gold.  Thus 
writes  Rabbi  Josef: 

"  '  And  there  were  among  them  who  were  cast  into  the  isles  of 
the  sea,  a  Jew  and  his  old  father,  fainting  from  hunger,  begging 
bread ;  and  there  was  none  to  break  unto  them  in  a  strange  coun- 
try. And  the  man  went  and  sold  his  Httle  son  for  bread,  to  re- 
store the  soul  of  the  old  man;  and  when  he  returned  to  his  father, 
he  found  him  dead ;  and  he  rent  his  clothes.  And  he  went  back 
to  the  baker  to  take  his  son ;  but  the  baker  would  not  give  him 
back ;  and  he  cried  out  with  a  sore  and  bitter  cry  for  his  son,  but 
there  was  none  to  deliver.  AU  this  befeU  us  in  the  year  Rabbim 
— ^for  the  sons  of  the  desolate  are  "  Many" — yet  have  we  not  for- 
gotten thee,  neither  have  we  dealt  falsely  in  thy  covenant.  Hasten 
to  help  us,  0  Lord !  For  thy  sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day ;  we 
are  counted  as  sheep  appointed  for  the  slaughter.  Make  haste  to 
help  us,  0  God  of  our  salvation.' 

"  Or  listen  to  the  chronicler  of  Genoa,  who  saw  them  as  they 
drifted  eastward : 

" '  This  expulsion,'  he  says,  '  seemed  to  me  at  first  a  praise- 
worthy act,  done  in  the  cause  and  for  the  honor  of  God.  Yet, 
when  we  remember  that  they  were  not  brute  beasts  after  all,  but 
men  made  by  God,  surely  it  must  be  owned  that  some  Httle  cru- 
elty was  shown.  Their  woes  were  very  piteous  to  see.  The  first 
who  starved  were  the  infants  at  the  breast ;  then  the  mothers, 
carrying  their  dead  children  till  they  fell  down  and  died  with 
them.  Many  perished  of  cold  and  of  squalor.  Unused  to  the  sea, 
countless  numbers  died  fi?om  sickness ;  many  were  drowned  by 
the  sailors  for  their  wealth;  the  poor,  who  could  not  otherwise  pay 
their  passage,  sold  their  children.  Lean,  pale,  with  eyes  deep- 
sunken,  like  ghosts  from  the  dead,  hardly  moving  enough  to  show 
that  they  were  alive,  they  came  into  our  city  to  find  shelter  for 
three  days ;  for  our  ancient  laws  forbade  a  longer  stay.  Yet  for 
the  repair  of  their  ships,  and  for  health's  sake,  a  short  respite  was 
granted.  They  were  allowed  to  live  on  the  Mole,  while  they 
made  ready  for  their  long  voyage  eastward.    Thus  the  winter 


280  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 

passed,  and  many  of  them  died.  The  spring  came,  and  ulcers 
broke  out  that  had  been  hitherto  kept  under  by  the  cold,  and  all 
that  year  there  was  a  plague  in  that  city.'  " 

This  mournfal  narrative  exhibits  one  of  the  most 
sublime  examples  of  religious  faith  and  conscientious 
self-sacrifice  to  what  was  deemed  truth  and  duty  in 
the  persecuted.  At  the  same  time,  when  the  avaricious 
Ferdinand  relinquished  thirty  thousand  ducats,  and 
the  tender  and  benevolent  Isabella  turned  a  deaf  ear  to 
such  prayers  and  sufferings  from  her  people,  there  can 
be  no  doubt  that  conscience  ruled  the  persecutors  also. 
Even  Torquemada  himself  may  have  been  acting  from 
the  most  conscientious  and  benevolent  motives  in  all 
the  disastrous  influences  he  brought  to  bear  on  his 
royal  mistress. 

This  passage  of  history  also  teaches  that  honesty, 
and  sincerity,  and  conscientiousness  will  not  avail 
without  a  hnowledge  of  the  truth.  Nay,  more ;  had 
these  persecutors  been  less  conscientious,  the  natural 
instincts  of  humanity  or  personal  interests  would  have 
mitigated  or  withheld  the  cruel  doom. 

It  is  in  this  light  that  we  are  enabled,  in  spite  of 
their  mistakes  in  opinions,  to  look  upon  theologians 
as  among  the  noblest  sufferers  and  confessors  for  what 
they  believed  to  be  truth.  From  the  time  of  Augus- 
tine and  Pelagius  to  the  present  day  nothing  can  be 
more  clear  than  that  the  combatants  on  both  sides  were 
actuated  by  a  sincere  love  to  God  and  to  man,  each  be- 
lieving, as  sincerely  as  did  Saul  of  Tarsus,  that  in  these 
conflicts  they  were  verily  doing  God  service,  and  that 
all  they  were  called  to  suffer  was  for  the  true  church 
of  God  and  the  salvation  of  their  fellow-men. 

But  the  main  purpose  for  which  this  record  of  his- 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  281 

tory  now  appears  is  to  illustrate  the  natural  tendency 
of  the  Augustine  theory  in  leading  to  dogmatism,  per- 
secution and  ecclesiastical  tyranny. 

The  tendency  of  the  common-sense  system  can  not 
be  illustrated  by  history,  for  unfortunately  Christen- 
dom has  never  yet  had  an  opportunity  to  test  by  a  fair 
experiment  its  true  tendencies.  "We  can  only  imagine 
what  would  be  the  results  were  all  ecclesiastical  re- 
straints and  teachings  based  on  the  Augustine  theory 
removed  from  our  pulpit  ministries,  our  hymns  and 
prayers,  our  religious  literature,  and,  most  of  all,  from 
long  established  habits  of  thought  and  feeling. 

Then  all  our  religious  organizations  would  have  for 
their  leading  aim,  not  to  maintain  some  outward  rite  or 
modes  of  organization,  but  to  promote  free  discussion 
for  the  discovery  of  truth  and  harmonious  coopera- 
tion to  promote  happiness  according  to  the  laws  of 
God. 

Then  the  ministry  of  the  Word  would  be  commit- 
ted to  men  distinguished  not  only  by  natural  endow- 
ments, acquired  knowledge  and  skill  in  debate,  but 
also  ensamples  to  their  flocks  in  the  virtues  of  humil- 
ity, meekness,  and  a  gentle  and  teachable  spirit. 
Then  the  points  that  would  divide  men  into  parties 
would  be  chiefly  practical  questions,  so  that  where  no 
agreement  in  opinion  could  be  secured,  each  would 
peaceably  try  a  fair  experiment  and  eventually  bring 
the  results  forward  for  the  general  good. 

Then  every  individual  would  be  free  to  protest 
against  all  that  he  believes  to  be  injurious  and  wrong 
in  regard  to  individuals,  to  the  family,  to  the  church 
and  to  the  state,  and  be  met  in  his  efforts  as  a  bene- 
factor rather  than  an  opposer  or  an  enemy. 


282  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 


CHAPTEB   XLII. 

TENDENCIES    OF    THE     TWO    SYSTEMS    AS    SHOWN    IN 
CONTROVERSY    AND    SECTS. 

It  is  the  aim  of  this  chapter  to  show  that  the  chief 
controversies  and  chief  sects  of  Christendom  have  re- 
sulted from  the  Augustinian  system,  and  from  attempts 
to  eliminate  it  from  the  system  of  common  sense  with 
which  it  has  been  combined. 

The  dogma  of  a  depraved  nature  consequent  on 
Adam^s  sin,  was  a  philosophical  theory  introduced  to 
account  for  the  prevailing  sinfulness  of  the  human  race. 
The  attempt  of  Pelagius  and  his  associates  to  oppose 
this  dogma,  was  met  by  civil  and  ecclesiastical  power 
and  persecution.  "  And  thus,"  says  the  historian, ''  the 
Gauls,  Britons  and  AfHcans  by  their  councils,  and  the 
emperors  by  their  edicts,  demolished  this  sect  in  its  in- 
fancy and  suppressed  it  entirely." 

For  long  ages  after  this,  no  attempt  was  made  to 
oppose  the  system  based  on  this  theory  in  any  of  its 
branches.  The  doctrine  that  man,  being  so  depraved 
in  nature  as  to  be  incapable  of  knowing  or  judging 
aright,  and  having  no  standard  of  right  and  wrong 
but  express  revelations  from  God,  resulted  in  the  un- 
resisted claim  of  popes  and  church  councils  as  the  only 
authorized  interpreters  of  the  Bible. 

Then  began  the  powerful  influence  of  education. 
Every  child  was  trained  to  believe  the  doctrine  of  a 
depraved  nature  as  a  part  of  the  word  of  God,  to  be 
received  with  unquestioning  submission.     Thus  the 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  283 

most  powerful  influences  were  enlisted  to  enchain  tlie 
feeble  and  plastic  mind  of  childhood  at  the  starting- 
point  of  thought  and  reason.  It  was  also  taught  by 
theologians  to  all  the  young  ecclesiastics  as  a  system, 
thus  adding  a  new  force  to  early  educational  training 
by  the  authority  of  the  church,  with  all  its  solemn 
and  awful  sanctions. 

The  idea  that  every  man  is  to  receive  the  teachings 
of  Christ,  uncontrolled  by  church  authority,  as  he  un- 
derstands them,  and  that  he  is  a  Christian  just  so  far 
as  he  understands  aright  and  oheys  them,  found  no  ad- 
vocates for  long  centuries.  Meantime  the  ecclesiastics, 
as  the  only  infallible  interpreters  of  God's  word^  and 
the  only  source  by  which  to  gain  regenerating  influ- 
ences, abused  the  influence  thus  acquired ,  to  build  up 
the  awful  prelatic  power  that  ruled  Christendom  for 
ages.  At  last,  with  many  other  abominations,  the  reg- 
ular sale  of  indulgences  to  commit  all  manner  of  crimes 
at  fixed  prices,  brought  intolerable  follies  and  crimes 
to  a  crisis. 

Then  Luther  and  his  compeers  arose  and  waged 
war,  not  against  the  root  of  these  evils,  but  against 
those  inevitable  branches,  the  infallibility  of  church 
interpretations  and  the  substitution  of  outward  creeds, 
rites  and  forms  for  the  spiritual  principle  of  love  to 
God  and  man  exhibited  by  obedience  to  the  Creator's 
laws. 

Luther  claimed  that  he  and  all  men  were  bound  to 
interpret  the  Bible  for  themselves,  and  not  to  submit 
their  judgment  to  any  pope,  council  or  ecclesiastical 
power.  And  he  claimed  that  the  Bible  teaches  that 
man  is  to  be  saved  [justified],  not  by  outward  forms, 
but  hy  faith  in  Jems  Christ,    But  retaining  the  doc- 


284  TENDENCIES     OF     THE 

trine  of^  man's  ruined  and  helpless  nature^  his  ideas  of 
faith  and  of  the  mode  of  attaining  it,  were  vague  and 
conflicting.  Thus  originated  the  long  conflict  between 
Catholic  and  Protestant  Christianity,  involving  some  of 
the  most  bloody  and  cruel  wars  and  persecutions  that 
ever  afflicted  humanity. 

Next  came  Arminius  and  his  associates,  who,  still 
clinging  to  the  fatal  root  of  a  totally  depraved  nature, 
labored  to  devise  soine  way  in  which,  in  spite  of  this 
ruin,  man  could  do  something  to  secure  regeneration 
from  God.  For,  as  shown  in  the  early  chapters,  Cal- 
vinism maintained  that  man  was  utterly  helpless,  and 
that  all  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate  were  sin  and 
only  sin,  and  therefore  utterly  unavailing  in  gaining 
regenerating  aid  from  God.  Hence  originated  the 
long  conflict  between  Calvinism  and  Arminianism, 
which  has  been  continued  to  this  day. 

Both  these  schools  of  divinity  rested  on  the  dogma 
of  an  entirely  depraved  nature,  but  their  tendencies 
were  diverse. 

Calvinism,  maintaining  the  utter  helplessness  of 
man,  tended  to  despairing  inefficiency.  If  man  really 
could  do  nothing,  why  should  he  attempt  any  thing 
to  secure  salvation  ? 

On  the  other  hand,  Arminianism,  promising  help 
through  certain  forms,  rites  and  influences  conveyed 
by  ecclesiastics,  tended  to  a  reliance  on  rites  and 
forms.  If  man  is  to  be  saved  by  these  instrumentali- 
ties and  can  do  nothing  himself  except  through  them, 
then,  these  being  secured,  the  natural  tendency  must 
be  to  rest  in  them. 

These  two  diverse  tendencies  finally  resulted  in  an 
equal  torpor  and  indifference  to  religion  in  both  par- 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  285 

ties,  wMcli  was  interrupted  on  the  Arminian  side  by 
Wesley  and  Whitfield,  and  on  the  Calvinistic  side  by 
Jonathan  Edwards. 

Wesley  and  his  co-laborers  taught  anew  the  Prot- 
estant doctrine  of  man's  independence  of  ecclesias- 
tical interpretations  and  church  forms,  and  the  neces- 
sity of  an  immediate  and  higher  spiritual  life.  From 
his  efforts  and  those  of  Whitfield  originated  the  great 
Methodist  denomination  in  Grreat  Britain  and  Amer- 
ica. 

In  this  sect  is  carried  out  the  theory  of  regenera- 
tion, not  as  a  slow  process  of  educational  training, 
but  as  an  instantaneous  change,  manifested  in  excited 
sensibilities.  As  the  depravity  consequent  on  Ad- 
am's sin  consists  in  the  "  deprivation"  of  God's  Spirit, 
and  regeneration  is  the  return  of  this  gift,  to  be  se- 
cured by  prayer  and  other  "  means  of  grace,"  we  find 
their  prayers,  hymns  and  preaching  all  conformed  to 
this  theory.  They  gain  grace  when  the  Spirit  comes, 
and  when  it  departs  they  "fall  from  grace." 

While  Wesley  and  Whitfield,  in  Great  Britain,  ap- 
pealed directly  to  the  people  in  combatting  the  Ar- 
minian tendency  to  forms  and  laxness,  Jonathan  Ed- 
wards addressed  the  leaders  of  metaphysical  thought 
in  his  profound  and  acute  writings.  He  attempted  to 
meet  the  universal  paralysis  consequent  on  the  Cal- 
vinistic doctrine  of  man's  inability,  amounting  almost 
to  the  loss  of  a  consciousness  of  personal  freedom. 

His  aim  was  to  restore  to  man  a  sense  of  ability  and 
responsibihty.  Thus  originated  his  theory  of  natural 
ability  and  moral  inability^  which  amounts  simply  to 
this :  that  man  has  natural  power  to  obey  all  that 
God  requires,  but  that  he  so  lacks  moral  ability^  on 


286  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 

account  of  his  depraved  nature,  that  it  is  certain  that 
he  never  will  make  a  truly  virtuous  choice  till  he  is 
regenerated,  and  regeneration  is  not  to  be  secured  by 
any  unregenerated  doings. 

From  this  resulted  the  division  into  the  old  and 
Tiewschool  Calvinistic  parties  in  the  Congregational 
and  Presbyterian  churches. 

Lastly,  the  New  Haven  divines,  while  in  some  of 
their  writings  they  held  exactly  the  views  of  Pres- 
ident Edwards,  and  claimed  to  have  made  no  inno- 
vation, in  others  they  came  exactly  to  the  Pelagian 
ground,  maintaining  that  man  **has  not  a  depraved 
nature  in  any  sense,  nor  a  corrupt  nature,  much  less 
a  sinful  nature,"  *'  but  rather  that  in  nature  he  is  like 
God." 

This  is  the  same  doctrine  as  was  held  by  Pelagius, 
and  if  it  were  only  carried  out  consistently  and  not 
contradicted,  would  be  the  entire  elimination,  root 
and  branch,  of  the  Augustinian  system. 

From  this  resulted  a  theological  controversy  that 
has  agitated  the  Presbyterian  and  Congregational 
churches  for  the  last  thirty  years. 

There  are  two  denominations  which  all  the  Augus- 
tinian sects  agree  in  excluding  from  their  fellowship 
as  not  entitled  to  the  name  of  Christian  sects,  which 
have  had  great  influence  in  undermining  the  hold  of 
the  Augustinian  theory.  These  are  the  Universalists 
and  the  Unitarians, 

The  former  do  not  formally  deny  the  Augustinian 
theory  of  a  depraved  nature  consequent  on  Adam's 
sin,  but  leaving  it  undisputed,  gain  great  influence  by 
it.  They  allow  that  God  has  power  to  restore  man  to 
his  original  perfectness,  and  then  maintain  that  the 


TTFOSTSTEMS.  287 

verj  idea  of  a  benevolent  beings  who  is  the  loving 
parent  of  all  his  creatures,  makes  it  certain  that  he 
will  do  so.  For,  as  shown  before,  our  only  idea  of  a 
benevolent  being  is,  that  he  wills  to  do  all  in  his  pow- 
er to  secure  that  which  will  make  the  most  happiness 
with  the  least  evil.  As,  therefore,  all  the  Augustinian 
sects  concede  that  God  has  power  to  make  all  minds 
perfect  at  the  first,  and  to  regenerate  all  minds  that  are 
ruined  through  the  sin  of  Adam,  Universalists  main- 
tain that  the  very  idea  of  the  Creator  as  a  benevolent 
being  necessarily  involves  the  certainty  that  he  will 
in  the  end,  bring  all  the  creatures  he  has  made  to  a 
state  of  perfectness,  both  in  mental  construction  and 
mental  action.  This  argument  is  unanswerable,  and 
the  people  very  extensively  are  led  to  so  regard  it, 
and  to  adopt  this  view  of  the  future  state  of  our  race. 

The  question,  with  this  sect,  all  turns  on  whether 
it  is  possible  in  the  nature  of  things  for  God  to  con- 
struct mind  on  a  more  perfect  pattern  than  that  of 
the  human  mind ;  and  whether  it  is  possible,  in  the 
nature  of  things,  to  make  the  best  possible  system 
of  minds  that  are  free  agents,  and  yet  save  all  of 
them  from  perpetuated  disobedience  to  the  laws  of 
that  system  and  the  consequent  suffering  of  the  nat- 
ural penalties. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  common-sense  system 
teaches  that  it  is  not  possible,  so  that  it  must  be  by 
revelation  only,  that  man  could  gain  such  a  doctrine 
as  the  eventual  perfect  holiness  and  happiness  of  the 
whole  human  race. 

While  the  Universalists  gain  great  power  by  not 
contesting  the  Augustinian  dogma,  the  Unitarians 
have  taken  the  ground  of  a  full  recognition  of  the 


288  TENDENCIES,    ETC. 

Pelagian  doctrine  of  the  perfect  construction  of  the 
nature  of  man.  At  the  same  time  thej  have,  as  a 
sect,  almost  universally  adopted  the  Universalist  doc- 
trine of  the  eventual  salvation  of  the  whole  of  our 
race. 

Both  these  sects  have  embraced  men  of  great  pop- 
ular talents,  who  have  widely  influenced  the  public 
mind,  in  their  attempts  to  lessen  confidence  in  the  doc- 
trines and  sects  based  on  the  Augustinian  theory. 

Meantime,  in  the  scientific  world,  mental  philoso- 
phy has  made  great  progress  in  clear  analysis  and 
accurate  definitions.  The  Scotch  school  of  metaphy- 
sicians, headed  by  Eeid  and  Stewart,  have  clearly  de- 
veloped and  established  in  a  popular  form,  th.Q  princi- 
ples of  reason  and  common  sense  ;  though  as  professors 
in  a  Calvinistic  university  and  community,  they  never 
ventured  to  apply  these  principles  to  the  investiga- 
tion of  religious  theories  as  to  the  "depraved  nature" 
of  the  human  mind.  They  passed  over  the  whole 
question  in  utter  silence. 

Still  more  recently  has  been  developed  the  system 
of  Phrenology,  which  is  based  on  the  constitutional  di- 
versities in  mental  faculties.  This  system  has  effective- 
ly warred  on  the  theological  theory  of  implanted  evil 
propensities,  by  teaching  that  every  faculty,  when  de- 
veloped and  regulated  aright,  tends  to  the  best  good  of 
the  race,  so  that  the  extinction  of  any  faculty  or  pro- 
pensity would  not  be  an  improvement,  but  rather  an 
injury  to  the  constitution  of  mind. 

At  the  same  time,  by  the  influence  of  our  schools, 
our  colleges,  our  pulpits,  our  popular  lectures  and  our 
wide-spread  periodicals,  both  religious  and  secular, 
the  mind  of  all  classes  has  been  rising  to  a  larger  de- 


PRACTICAL    TENDENCIES,     ETC.        289 

velopment,  and  to  clearer  and  more  discriminating 
views  of  mental  and  moral  science  in  every  depart- 
ment. Thus  tlie  people  are  gradually  throwing  off 
tlie  chains  of  ecclesiastical  authority  and  assuming 
that  liberty  of  thought  and  action,  which  their  Al- 
mighty Father  designed  as  the  chief  birth-right  of  all 
his  intelligent  offspring. 


CHAPTEE    XLIII. 

PRACTICAL    TENDENCIES    OF    THE   TWO   SYSTEMS. 

In  the  preceding  pages  it  has  been  shown  that  the 
common-sense  system  presents  an  intelligible,  practi- 
cal and  consistent  standard  of  right  and  wrong,  by 
which  we  can  judge  clearly  of  the  character  and  con- 
duct, both  of  the  Creator  and  of  his  creatures. 

The  mind  of  the  Creator  existing  from  all  eternity, 
independently  of  his  own  will,  is  the  pattern  of  per- 
fectness  in  the  construction  of  mind.  He  has  formed 
and  sustains  a  system  fitted  to  his  own  perfections. 
The  chief  end  of  this  system  is  happiness-making 
on  the  greatest  possible  scale.  In  order  to  this,  his 
laws,  by  which  the  most  possible  good  with  the  least 
possible  evil  will  be  secured,  must  be  discovered  and 
obeyed. 

Accordingly,  all  that  tends  to  secure  happiness 
without  evil  is  right,  and  all  that  needlessly  lessens 
or  destroys  happiness  is  wrong.  Every  effort  to  dis- 
cover the  laws  of  God  and  to  obey  them  is  right  and 
13 


290  PKACTICAL    TENDEKCIES 

pleasing  to  him  as  promoting  his  chief  desire  and 
great  end.  This  view  furnishes  a  foundation  for  clear 
conceptions  in  every  practical  question  of  right  and 
wrong.  What  is  for  the  best  as  discovered  by  reason 
and  experience?  This  is  the  great  question,  when 
we  have  no  direct  revelation  from  God.  And  even 
when  revelation  intervenes,  it  must  be  only  in  regard 
to  general  rules,  leaving  it  still  a  matter  of  experience 
and  discussion  in  applying  these  rules  to  the  multi- 
tudes of  varying  cases  in  human  experience.  Thus, 
for  example,  a  command  to  be  honest  toward  all, 
leaves  innumerable  questions  to  be  settled  as  to  what 
is  honest  and  fair  in  the  multiplied  cases  arising  be- 
tween man  and  man. 

But  we  always  have  the  great  principle  of  com- 
mon sense  to  guide  us,  that  whatever  is  for  the  test  is 
right,  leaving  it  for  reason  and  experience  to  settle 
what  is  and  what  is  not  for  the  best. 

But  in  contrast  the  Augustinian  system,  in  many 
ways,  tends  to  becloud  the  mind  in  regard  to  practical 
questions  of  right  and  wrong. 

Thus  the  assumption  that  there  are  no  principles 
in  the  human  mind  that  enable  us  to  judge  of  the 
character  and  conduct  of  God ;  that  we  have  no  means 
of  learning  what  is  the  object  or  end  for  which  all 
things  are  made;  that  man  is  so  depraved  as  to  be 
disqualified  to  know  what  is  right  and  wrong,  except 
as  taught  by  revelations  from  God ;  and  at  the  same 
time  disqualified  to  interpret  such  revelations  until  re- 
generated, or  by  the  help  of  a  priesthood;  all  this 
tends  to  create  the  feeling  of  incertitude  as  to  any 
question  of  right  and  wrong,  while  the  abuses  of 
priestly  interpretations  have  so  often  set  the  Bible  in 


OF    THE    TWO    SYSTEMS.  291 

opposition  to  our  moral  sense  and  common  sense  as 
greatly  to  increase  the  evil. 

Add  to  this,  the  assumption  that  there  is  no  true 
virtue  in  any  acts  of  the  unregenerate,  but  that  all 
their  moral  deeds  are  sin,  and  only  sin,  and  the  per- 
plexity is  increased  as  to  what  is  right  and  what  is 
wrong  moral  action. 

Again,  the  fact  that  salvation  from  eternal  misery 
is  possible  only  to  those  who  have  gained  a  new  "  na- 
ture," while  it  is  often  seen  that  some  of  those  received 
into  churches  as  having  this  new  nature,  are  not  so 
charitable,  amiable,  just  or  honest,  as  many  who  are 
not  thus  admitted,  and  the  mind  is  still  more  be- 
clouded as  to  the  real  nature  of  right  and  wrong  in 
practical  conduct. 

Again,  the  manner  in  which  this  new  nature  is 
recognized  by  those  appointed  to  decide  who  are  re- 
generated and  who  are  not,  in  order  to  admit  to  or 
exclude  from  churches,  still  farther  increases  the  diffi- 
culty. The  questions  often  propounded  on  such  oc- 
casions relate  mainly  to  certain  states  of  feeling  toward 
God  or  Christ,  or  to  certain  doctrines  involved  in  the 
Augusiinian  theory.  If  replies  to  these  are  satisfac- 
tory, the  candidate  is  pronounced  regenerated  and  re- 
ceived to  the  church. 

Meantime,  ever  since  the  days  of  Luther,  the  doc- 
triijii-of  "justification  by  faith,"  in  opposition  to  '' sal- 
vation by  works,"  has  been  assumed  to  be  the  founda- 
tion principle,  both  of  Protestantism  and  of  true  piety, 
while  there  has  been  great  indistinctness  of  conception 
as  to  the  true  meaning  of  these  terms.  At  the  time 
of  the  great  conflict  between  Eomanism  and  the  Re- 
formers, the  grand  evil  to  fee  combated  was  a  reliance 


292  PRACTICAL    TENDEKCIES 

for  salvation  on  tlie  prescribed  outward  rites  and  forms 
of  tlie  cliurcli  without  any  reference  to  an  internal 
spiritual  principle.  The  attempt  of  the  Eeformers 
was  to  substitute  for  these  outward  forms  that  spirit- 
ual principle  w^hich  consists  in  a  ruling  purpose  to  dis- 
cover and  to  obey  the  ivill  of  Ood  according  to  the  teachings 
of  Christy  whom  they  regarded  as  "  God  manifest  in  the 
j&esh."  They  recognized  the  fact  that  no  man  ever 
did  or  ever  could  live  without  some  violations  of  the 
laws  of  God,  so  that  no  man  could  be  saved  on  the 
ground  of  perfect  obedience  to  law.  Instead  of  this 
they  assumed  that  man  could  gain  eternal  life  by  "  be- 
coming a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus,"  meaning  by 
this  that  *'  new  life"  which  consists  in  ceasing  to  live 
to  please  self,  and  living  to  please  God  in  Christ  as 
the  chief  end  of  life,  by  earnest  conformity  to  his  will/« 
as  learned  either  by  reason  and  experience  or  by  the  \ 
Bible. 

This  is  what  they  intended  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ. 
And  the  opposite  doctrine  of  "salvation  by  works" 
was  that  which  the  Eomish  church  was  urging,  viz., 
conformity  to  her  outward  rites  and  forms. 

But  in  process  of  time,  and  for  want  of  clear  con- 
ceptions and  clear  teaching,  it  came  about  that  the 
real  good  works,  commanded  by  Christ,  as  a  part  of 
the  love  of  God  required,  were  confounded  with  the 
rites  and  forms,  and  outward  deeds  commande#fby 
the  church,  and  which  may  be  performed  without 
the  principle  of  love  to  Christ,  which  is  exhibited 
in  obedience  to  his  teachings.  The  result  has  been 
that  the  teachings  and  writings  of  many  Protest- 
ants often  make  the  impression  that  the  good  works 
of  a  pure  morality  are  of  no  avail  and  often  very 


OF    THE    TWO    SYSTEMS.  293 

mucli  in  tlie  way  of  a  man's  final  salvation.  Thns 
has  arisen  the  distinction  often  made  between  good 
moral  men  and  good  religious  men.  This  classification 
rests  entirely  on  the  Augnstinian  dogma,  that  until  the 
depraved  nature  received  from  Adam  is  regenerated, 
all  the  moral  acts  of  men,  however  virtuous  and  ex- 
cellent, are  "  sin,  and  sin  only." 

The  true  meaning  of  "justification  by  faith  and  not 
by  works,"  is  that  men  are  not  to  be  saved  by  actually 
finding  out  in  all  possible  cases  what  is  for  the  best  and 
then  doing  it,  which  no  man  ever  did  or  ever  can  do 
without  mistake ;  but  rather  by  a  ruling  purpose  to  dis- 
cover and  to  obey  all  the  laws  of  the  Creator.  This  last 
is  the  spiritual  principle  in  opposition  to  mere  outward 
acts.  It  is  practical  faith  in  God  which  is  to  save  the 
soul  of  man.  All,  therefore,  who  believe  Christ  to  be 
Grod  are  "justified"  hj  faith  in  Christ.  That  is,  they  are 
regarded  and  treated  as  just  and  righteous,  when  they 
have  this  internal  principle  of  obedience  to  Christ, 
even  though  they  are  never  free  from  actual  trans- 
gression of  law,  either  known  or  unknown.  Thus  the 
ancient  patriarchs  were  saved  by  faith  in  Christ,  he 
being  the  God  of  the  old  dispensation  as  much  as  of 
the  new. 

That  this  is  the  sense  in  which  the  Eeformers  used 
the  words  "justification,  or  salvation  by  faith,"  in 
opposition  to  "  salvation  by  works,"  may  easily  be 
proved.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  as  easy  to  show  that 
they  used  this  term  in  another  sense  also.  But  at 
this  time  no  reference  will  be  made  to  any  other  use 
than  the  one  under  consideration.  Their  other  use 
of  this  term  in  reference  to  the  atonement  of  Jesus 
Christ  will  be  referred  to  hereafter. 


294  TENDElSrCIES    OF.  THE 

The  preceding  exhibits  the  several  ways  in  which 
the  Aiigustinian  theory  tends  to  becloiid  the  mind  in 
regard  to  practical  questions  of  right  and  wrong. 
These  tendencies  have  been  more  or  less  counteracted 
by  the  implanted  principles  of  reason.  Still  more 
have  they  been  rectified  by  the  steady  and  clear 
teachings  of  the  Bible,  which  never,  when  truly  in- 
terpreted, contradict  either  the  moral  sense  or  com- 
mon sense  of  man,  but  rather  strengthen  them  and 
guide  them  aright. 


CHAPTER     XLIY. 

TEISTDENCIES  OF  THE  TWO  SYSTEMS   IN  THE   TEAtNTN"a 
OF  CHILDEEN. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  common-sense  system 
results  from  the  implanted  principles  of  mind,  so  that 
no  person  can  be  entirely  free  from  its  influence. 

The  Augustinian  system  has  also  been  shown  in  its 
Calvinistic  and  Arminian  tendencies. 

The  Calvinistic  form,  making  it  certain  that,,  owing 
to  the  depravity  of  nature  consequent  on  Adam's  sin, 
every  moral  act  is  sin  and  only  sin,  while  there  is  no 
revealed  mode  of  securing  regeneration,  leads  to  hope- 
less inefficiency  and  neglect  of  religious  advantages. 
The  Arminian  form,  maintaining  the  efficacy  of  cer- 
tain rites  and  ceremonies  in  securing  regeneration, 
tends  to  a  disastrous  dependence  on  outward  observ- 
ances. 

Those  parents  who  are  trained  in  the  Calvinistic 
school,  usually  begin  education  more  or  less  on  the 


TWO    SYSTEMS.  295 

common-sense  theory  that  children  can  and  do  please 
God  when  they  are  obedient,  gentle,  kind,  self-de- 
nying and  conscientious.  Prayers  and  hymns  are 
also  taught  to  the  Httle  ones  that  make  this  impres- 
sion. 

But  when  advancing  years  bring  the  pulpit  and 
other  Calvinistic  influences  to  bear,  these  impressions, 
more  or  less,  fade  away,  and  are  followed  by  the 
depressing  feeling  that  nothing  that  a  child  does  is 
either  good  or  pleasing  to  the  heavenly  Father  till 
the  "  wicked  heart"  is  changed  by  God,  and  that  there 
is  no  definite,  practical  mode  of  securing  this  change. 
The  consequence,  in  many  cases,  is,  that  all  prayer 
and  all  attention  to  religious  instruction  ceases,  and 
a  desperate  course  of  worldliness  and  departure  from 
all  recognition  of  God  ensues.  In  other  cases,  the 
natural  result  of  this  Augustinian  theory  is  more  or 
less  counteracted  by  conscience,  common  sense  and 
the  Bible. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Arminian  view  of  the  effi- 
cacy of  rites  and  means  of  grace  sanctioned  by  God  as 
the  mode  of  securing  regeneration,  has  led  to  great 
stress  on  the  use  of  those  rites  and  forms.  The  Cath- 
olic and  a  portion  of  the  Episcopal  church,  have  taught 
that  the  rite  of  baptism  was  the  appointed  mode  of 
remedying  the  depravity  engendered  from  Adam. 
And  so  indispensable  was  it  deemed  to  the  salvation 
of  infants,  that  not  only  laymen,  but  women  were  al- 
lowed to  administer  this  rite  at  the  approach  of  death, 
when  no  priest  could  be  obtained,  lest  the  infant  soul 
should  go  to  endless  perdition  with  the  taint  of  Ad- 
am's sin  unremoved. 

There  have  been  great  dissensions  in  the  Episcopal 


296  TENDENCIES    OF    THE 

clitircli  as  to  the  efficacy  of  baptism.  Some  have 
taught  that  regeneration  was  imparted  by  this  rite. 
Others  have  taught  that  this  rite  secured  the  implant- 
ing of  "  a  seed,"  or  some  new  mysterious  principle, 
which  if  cherished  and  cultivated  by  the  church,  would 
result  in  Christian  character.  Those  who  hold  this 
view,  rely  chiefly  on  the  training  of  children  in  the 
church  as  the  appointed  mode  of  securing  their  salva- 
tion. 

That  branch  of  the  Arminian  school  which  left  the 
Episcopal  church  under  "Wesley  and  his  associates, 
were  driven  off  by  the  laxity  and  want  of  spiritual 
life  consequent  on  these  tendencies  to  reliance  on  rites 
and  forms.     In  place  of  this,  they  urged  the  doctrine 
of  instantaneous  regeneration,  to  be  gained  by  certain- 
means  of  grace.     According  to  these  teachers,  regen-  j 
eration  consists  in  the  return  of  God's  Spirit  to  the» 
soul,  which  is  withheld  in  consequence  of  Adam's  sin. 
The  tendency  of  this  view  was  to  lessen  reliance  on 
educational  training  and  to  exalt  the  importance  of 
other  means  of  grace  by  which  regeneration  seemed 
to  be  secured,  and  to  which  the  Bible,  as  was  claimed, 
promised  success. 

Thus,  in  the  Arminian  sects,  where  the  efficacy  of 
rites  and  forms  by  a  regularly  ordained  and  authori- 
tative priesthood  has  been  relinquished,  educational 
training  has  conformed  more  to  the  Calvinistic  view. 
As  eternal  salvation  depends  on  securing  regeneration, 
every  thing  is  made  secondary  to  those  methods  'by 
which  regeneration  is  to  be  gained. 

The  Episcopal  Arminians,  therefore,  depend  more 
on  educating  the  young  aright,  and  have  little  depend- 
ence on  revivals,  while  the  Methodist  Arminians  look 


to] 

3-   I 


•  TWO    SYSTEMS.  297 

less  to  education  and  more  to  revivals  and  other  modes 
of  securing  religious  excitement. 

But  the  foundation  difficulty  alike  of  the  Calvinists, 
the  Episcopal  Arminians  and  the  Methodist  Armini- 
ans,  is  the  assumption  that  regeneration  of  a  ruined  na- 
ture is  the  thing  to  be  sought,  both  by  children  and 
by  adults,  as  the  indispensable  prerequisite  to  salva- 
tion, and  that  "the  means  of  grace"  are  not  for  the| 
training  and  development  of  a  perfect  nature,  but^ 
gain  from  God  the  cure  of  a  ruined  and  helpless  one. 

In  contrast  to  this,  the  common-sense  system  recog- 
nizes all  that  is  practical  in  any  of  the  three  methods. 
It  teaches  that  man's  nature  is  perfect,  and  yet  that 
he  is  utterly  helpless  without  the  knowledge,  training 
and  motives^  for  which  he  is  dependent  alike  on  Grod 
and  on  man.  It  teaches  that  this  nature  can  be 
trained  to  "  a  new  life"  by  educational  instrument- 
alities and  by  a  slow  and  gradual  process.  At  the 
same  time  it  teaches,  that  when  men  have  lived  a 
worldly  life  there  may  be  a  sudden  change  of  char- 
acter by  voluntarily  commencing  a  life  of  love  and 
obedience  to  Grod,  in  place  of  a  life  of  unregulated 
self-indulgence. 

Since  the  days  of  Pelagius  and  Augustine,  there 
has  never  been  any  large  body  of  Christians  who  have 
trained  children  on  the  common-sense  system  dissev- 
ered from  the  Augustinian  theory.  This  experiment ' 
is  yet  to  be  tried  before  its  full  and  proper  tendency 
can  be  truly  developed. 

The   Unitarian  sect,   who  reject  the  Augustinian 

dogma,  also  reject  some  of  the  fundamental  principles 

of  the  common-sense  system,  especially  that  on  which 

the  whole  system  of  moral  and  religious  duty  and  mo- 

13* 


298      THE  PEOPLE.  EEJECTINa 

tive  rests,  the  dangers  of  the  race  in  the  invisible  world, 
and  ih.Q  power  of  motive  secured  bj  "God  manifest  in 
the  flesh"  as  the  long-suffering  and  self-denying  Cre- 
ator, coming  to  aid  his  creatures  by  his  teaching,  sym- 
pathy, example,  and  abounding  love. 


CHAPTER    XLV. 

THE  PEOPLE  EEJECTINa  THE  AUGUSTINIAN  SYSTEM. — 
POSITION  OF  THEOLOGIANS. 

It  is  the  object  of  what  follows  to  present  the 
evidence  that  the  people  are  rejecting  the  Augus- 
tinian  system,  while  they  are  retaining  the  system 
of  common  sense,  as  that  alone  which  is  taught  in 
the  Bible. 

Preliminary  to  this,  a  brief  statement  of  the  prom- 
inent points  of  these  systems,  where  their  antagonism 
is  most  practical  and  apparent,  will  be  allowed. 

The  Augustinian  system  teaches  that  on  account  of 
Adam's  sin,  man  is  born  with  a  nature  so  totally  de- 
frayed^ that  he  never  performs  any  truly  virtuous  acts 
till  this  nature  is  regenerated ;  that  the  true  church 
of  God  on  earth  consists  only  of  those  who  are  thus 
regenerated ;  and  that  a  visible  church  consists  of  an 
organization  of  persons  who  profess  to  possess  a  nature 
that  has  been  re-created,  so  that  they  perform  truly 
virtuous  acts,  as  the  unregenerated  never  do. 

In  opposition  to  this,  the  common-sense  system 
teaches  that  man  is  born  with  a  perfect  nature,  so  that 
he  can  and  does  act  virtuously  without  any  change  in 
this  nature ;  also  that  the  true  church  of  God  on  earth 


THE    AUGUSTINIAN    SYSTEM.         299 

consists  of  all  those  whose  chief  end  and  earnest  pur- 
pose is  to  discover  and  to  obey  all  his  laws ;  and  a 
visible  church  consists  of  any  who  associate  by  some 
outward  organization  to  aid  each  other  in  attempts  to 
discover  and  to  obey  the  laws  of  God. 

The  evidence  that  the  people  are  rejecting  the  for- 
mer, and  assuming  the  latter  view  as  that  which  is 
taught  in  the  Bible,  will  now  be  presented  under 
these  heads : 

The  present  position  of  theologians  ; 

The  state  of  the  church ; 

The  position  of  the  pastors  of  churches ; 

The  state  of  popular  education ; 

The  position  of  woman  ; 

The  position  of  Young  America  ; 

The  position  of  the  religious  and  secular  press. 

Present  Position  of  Theologians, 

In  attempting  to  portray  the  present  state  of  the 
theological  world,  it  is  needful  first  to  distinguish  be- 
.tween  a  class  which  may  distinctively  be  termed  the- 
ologians and  the  much  larger  class  which  are  pastors 
of  the  people. 

The  two  classes  are  so  commingled  that  it  would  be 
impossible  to  draw  any  line  so  exact  as  to  arrange  all 
in  these  two  classes  ;  for  sometimes  the  sarpe  person  is 
both  theologian  and  pastor.  Still  there  is  foundation 
for  classification  as  distinct  as  ordinarily  exists  in  re- 
gard to  other  professions  where  men  combine  diverse 
pursuits. 

In  attempting  this  classification,  it  must  be  no- 
ticed that  the  religious  world  is  divided  into  great 
denominations,  each  having  its  theological  schools,  its 


300  THE    PEOPLE    REJECTING 

colleges,  its  tlieological  magazines  and  its  religious 
newspapers. 

All  these  are  conducted  by  men  whose  business  is 
not  tbat  of  pastors,  and  yet  a  great  majority  of  whom 
were  educated  for  this  office  by  a  regular  theological 
training.  Meantime,  their  position,  professional  rep- 
utation and  daily  bread  depend  on  maintaming  the 
particular  peculiarities  in  doctrine  and  practice  of  a 
given  sect.  By  this  is  meant,  that  should  they  pub- 
licly avow  a  renunciation  of  the  peculiarities  that  dis- 
tinguish their  sect,  they  would  suffer  in  the  public  es- 
timation of  their  supporters,  and  be  immediately  re- 
moved from  their  professional  employment.  It  is  this 
class  who  are  usually  among  the  chief  leaders  of  each 
denomination,  and  who  therefore  are  exposed  to  all  the 
difficulties  and  temptations  which  beset  those  whose 
power,  influence,  profession  and  pecuniary  support  are 
more  or  less  connected  with  a  conservative  course  in  all 
matters  of  religious  opinion — difficulties  and  dangers 
to  which  a  pastor  is  much  less  exposed,  so  long  as  he 
maintains  his  hold  on  the  confidence  and  affection  of 
his  people,  who  are  his  chief  protection  against  the- 
ological persecution  of  any  kind. 

The  first  class  depend  on  a  whole  denomination  for 
reputation  and  a  livelihood;  the  last  class  depend 
chiefly  on  their  own  people.  The  first  class,  on  every 
practical  question,  must  regard  the  views  and  opinions 
of  a  sect,  as  leaders  and  guardians  of  the  interests  of 
a  great  organization,  whose  very  existence  depends  on 
the  dominance  of  certain  opinions.  The  latter  class 
must  chiefly  regard  the  highest  spiritual  good  of ,  the 
souls  committed  to  their  care. 

Thus,  for  example,  the  Baptist  theological  profess- 


THE    AUGUSTINIAN    SYSTEM.  801 

ors,  and  editors  of  religious  periodicals,  must  maintain 
tliat  baptism  by  immersion  is  the  only  scriptural  mode 
of  admission  to  the  visible  churcb  of  Grod  and  to  the 
sacrament,  or  give  up  their  influence,  reputation  and 
professional  livelihood.  And  they  must  sustain  the 
organized  interests  of  that  sect  as  its  most  trusted  and 
talented  leaders.  Moreover,  the  very  existence  of  the 
sect  and  of  their  position  as  its  leaders,  depend  on  the 
maintenance  of  this  tenet,  for  it  is  this  alone  that  sep- 
arates them  from  the  Congregational  sect. 

In  like  manner,  the  Congregational  theological  pro- 
fessor and  editor  must  maintain  that  form  of  church 
organization  or  give  up  his  post.  And  so  the  Pres- 
byterian, Episcopal  and  Methodist  theological  profess- 
ors and  editors  are  equally  bound. 

This  representation  does  not  necessarily  imply  any 
thing  invidious.  If  it  is  regarded  as  a  duty  to  keep 
up  the  sectarian  divisions,  which,  as  has  been  shown, 
all  result  from  the  Augustinian  dogma,  then  men  must 
be  supported  to  do  it  by  theological  schools  and  peri- 
odicals. And  when  men  are  put  into  positions  for 
the  express  purpose  of  sustaining  the  peculiar  views 
of  a  sect,  it  is  not  honest  for  them  to  hold  these  posi- 
tions after  they  can  no  longer  conscientiously  do  the 
■work  they  are  hired  to  perform. 

But  each  pastor  is  the  leader  of  his  flock ;  and  their 
opinions  and  practices  are  more  or  less  at  his  control 
as  their  religious  teacher.  And  so  long  as  he  can 
carry  his  people  with  him  he  is  independent  of  every 
other  ecclesiastical  power.  True,  he  may  be  censured, 
deposed  and  excluded  from  a  given  sect  or  party,  but 
his  people  only  have  to  declare  themselves  independ- 
ent, and  that  they  choose  to  retain  him  as  their  reli- 


802  THE    PEOPLE    REJECTING 

gious  teaclier,  and  no  one  can  harm  him  as  to  his  pro- 
fessional employment  or  his  support. 

Thus  it  is  that  the  pastors  of 'chiirches  have  fewer  of 
those  difficulties  to  meet  which  restrain  the  chief  theo- 
logical leaders  of  a  sect. 

We  are  now  prepared  to  notice  the  present  position 
of  theologians  in  this  country. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  chief  theological  con- 
flicts, since  the  days  of  Augustine,  and  also  the  chief 
sects,  have  resulted  from  attempts  to  throw  off  the 
dogma  introduced  by  him  in  some  one  of  its  devel- 
opments. Thus  the  conflict  headed  by  Luther  was 
against  the  substitution  of  external  rites  and  forms 
resulting  from  man's  helpless  depravity  for  an  inter- 
nal principle  of  love  and  obedience. 

The  conflict  commenced  by  Arminius  was  to  main- 
tain man's  ability  to  do  something  by  his  own  efforts 
to  gain  eternal  life,  in  opposition  to  the  utter  inability 
tanght  by  Calvinism. 

The  conflict  commenced  by  Wesley  and  his  as- 
sociates, was  to  rouse  men  from  a  resting  in  out- 
ward rites  and  forms  and  educational  training,  by 
making  instantaneous  regeneration  a  practicable  aim, 
and  one  to  be  secured  by  the  use  of  "  the  means  of 
grace." 

The  conflict  commenced  by  President  Edwards  was 
to  remedy  the  Calvinistic  tendency  to  hopeless  ineffi- 
ciency and  waiting  for  God  to  regenerate,  by  insisting 
on  man's  ability  to  obey  all  that  Grod  requires. 

The  conflict  led  by  the  New  Haven  school  of  di- 
vines, was,  in  fact,  an  attempt  to  cut  up  the  Augus- 
tinian  system  by  the  root,  in  maintaining  that  sin 
consists  in  the  wrong  action  of  a  right  nature,  and 


THE    AUGUSTINIAN    SYSTEM.  303 

not  in   a  depraved   nature    and    its    inevitable  re- 
sults. 

All  these  controversies  have  been  carried  on,  more 
and  more,  in  the  audience  of  the  people,  who,  in  the 
meantime,  have  been  continually  advancing  in  mental 
culture  and  knowledge. 

Especially  has  this  been  the  case  in  this  country, 
where  religion  has  been  freed  from  civil  restraints. 
Several  of  the  religious  sects  have  been  so  divided  on 
these  matters  as  to  involve  civil  suits  to  settle  ques- 
tions of  property,  thus  bringing  theologians  and  law- 
yers on  to  the  same  arena.  And  thus  discussions 
on  theological  points  were  reported  in  secular  pa- 
pers. 

This  was  the  case  in  the  rending  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  into  the  Old  and  New-school  sections.  During 
this  controversy,  some  of  the  most  honored  and  tal- 
ented of  the  clergy  were  suspended  from  their  pulpit 
duties  and  threatened  with  dismission  from  theological 
professorships,  solely  on  the  charge  of  denying  certain 
points  of  doctrine  of  the  Augustinian  system.  And 
the  highest  judicature  of  the  nation  was  called  to  de- 
cide whether  the  men  thus  charged  had,  or  had  not 
so  departed  from  orthodox  creeds  as  to  warrant  the 
loss  of  place  and  income. 

In  this  discussion,  the  endowments  of  colleges,  of 
theological  schools,  and  of  church  property,  were  so 
at  stake,  that  the  laymen  all  over  the  land  were  obliged 
to  inquire  into  and  understand  the  merits  of  a  discus- 
sion strictly  metaphysical  and  theological. 

In  Massachusetts,  at  one  time,  the  whole  State  was 
excited  by  the  question  whether  there  were  any  other 
churches  except  the  congregations  that  worshiped  to- 


804  THE    PEOPLE    REJECTING 

^gether  and  supported  tlie  minister.  This  question 
was  argued  before  tTie  higliest  court  of  the  State,  and 
decided  in  the  negative,  while  for  years  the  contro- 
versy was  prolonged. 

Meantime,  the  study  of  mental  science  lias  been  in- 
troduced into  both  colleges  and  schools  all  over  the 
land,  and  tlie  sons,  and  even  the  daughters  of  our 
farmers  and  mechanics,  bave  gained  clearer  and  more 
discriminating  views  on  such  subjects  than  can  now 
be  found  in  the  writings  of  Aristotle,  Plato,  and  the 
wisest  men  of  past  ages. 

Phrenology,  also,  has  drawn  maps  of  the  mental 
faculties,  so  that  even  the  senses  have  been  trained  to 
aid  in  metaphysics. 

The  pulpit,  the  press  and  public  lecturers  now,  when 
they  refer  to  the  intdlect,  the  susceptibilities^  the  will^ 
the  moral  powers^  and  use  other  metaphysical  terms, 
are  understood  by  all. 

In  short,  the  human  mind  has  developed  in  all  di- 
rections, until  it  is  impossible  any  longer  to  conceal 
absurdities  under  cover  of  hard  names  and  metaphys- 
ical abstrusities,  especially  when  the  practical  concerns 
of  this  life,  as  well  as  the  life  to  come,  are  equally  in- 
volved. 

Meantime,  the  most  vigorous  and  acute  minds  in 
the  various  opposing  sects  and  theological  schools, 
have  been  exhibiting,  in  magazines  and  newspapers, 
the  difficulties  and  absurdities  each  finds  in  the  creed 
and  teaching  of  all  who  differ,  while  it  is  the  laymen 
who  read  and  pay  for  these  periodicals.  In  these,  and 
many  other  ways,  the  discussions  which  once  were  con- 
fined to  metaphysicians  and  theologians,  have  come 
before  the  people,  and  the  Augustinian  system  has 


THE    AUGUSTINIAN    SYSTEM.  805 

"been  more  and  more  clearly  exhibited  as  contrary  to 
the  moral  sense  and  common  sense  of  mankind. 

A  few  years  since,  Dr.  Edward  Beecher  published 
the  Conflict  of  Ages ^  in  which,  with  a  calm  and  Chris- 
tian spirit  and  in  a  popular  form,  was  set  forth  the  dif- 
ficulties consequent  on  the  Augustinian  system,  which 
for  ages  have  agitated  all  Christendom. 

In  this  work,  it  is  shown  that  there  are  "princi- 
ples of  honor  and  right"  which  all  theologians  agree  in 
maintaining  that  God  must  and  does  regard  and  obey ; 
that  these  principles  are  violated  by  God  on  the  sup- 
position that  he  has  brought  mankind  into  being  in 
this  world  with  a  depraved  nature ;  and  finally,  that 
all  theories  as  yet  invented  by  theologians  to  relieve 
the  Creator  from  such  an  imputation  are  failures,  ex- 
cept the  theory,  which  is  there  presented,  of  a  ^re- 
existent  state^  according  to  which,  mankind  were  created 
with  perfect  natures,  which  they  ruined  by  sinning, 
and  came  into  this  life  to  be  restored  to  their  former 
perfect  state. 

Much  that  appears  in  the  early  portion  of  this  work 
is-  from  this  source.  Still  more  has  been  gained  from 
that  work  in  the  clear  manner  in  which  it  is  there 
proved,  that  the  Bible  does  not  teach  that  the  sin  of 
Adam  had  any  effect  on  "  the  nature"  of  the  human 
race,  and  that  the  interpretation  given  to  the  passage 
in  Eomans  v.,  which  is  the  chief  one  claimed  as  teach- 
ing this  doctrine,  not  only  has  been  interpreted  wrong, 
but  is  contrary  to  the  rendering  of  the  whole  Christian 
world  from  the  apostles  to  Augustine. 

In  other  words,  the  Conflict  of  Ages  came  before  the 
people  with  the  claim,  that  the  Augustinian  theory  of 
a  depraved  nature  consequent  on  the  sin  of  Adam,  as 


306  THE    PEOPLE    REJECTING 

taught  by  all  theologians  of  the  great  Catholic  and 
Protestant  sects,  is  contrary  to  the  moral  sense  of  man- 
kind and  entirely  unsupported  by  the  Bible. 

This  work  was  read,  not  only  by  theologians  and 
pastors,  but  by  intelligent  laymen,  to  an  extent  never 
known  before  of  a  strictly  theological  work. 

And  what  was  the  ground  taken  by  theologians  of 
all  schools  ?  They  were  bound  to  show  to  the  peo- 
ple, in  opposition  to  this  work,  if  they  could,  that  this 
Augustinian  dogma  was  not  contrary  to  the  moral 
sense  of  mankind,  and  that  it  was  taught  in  the  Bible. 

But  not  a  single  attempt  of  this  kind  has  ever  been 
made.  This  universal  silence  is  as  direct  a  confession 
of  inability  to  reply  as  ever  was  known  in  the  theo- 
logical world.  All  that  ever  has  been  attempted  has 
been,  to  show  that  the  theory  of  a  preexistent  state, 
offered  by  that  author,  affords  little  or  no  relief,  and 
is  without  scriptural  authority.  * 

The  words  of  a  distinguished  theolo'gian  and  editor 
of  a  theological  quarterly,  addressed  to  the  writer,  ex- 
press the  case  exactly :  '^  Your  brother  has  succeeded 
in  throwing  us  all  into  the  ditch,  but  he  has  shown  us 
no  way  to  get  out." 

That  is  to  say,  so  long  as  the  doctrine  of  a  depraved 
nature  that  insures  "  sin,  and  only  sin,"  in  every  unre- 
generate  mind,  is  maintained,  there  is  no  satisfactory 
way  yet  devised  of  proving  the  wisdom  and  benevo- 
lence of  Grod,  by  the  concessions  of  theologian  sthem- 
selves. 

At  the  same  time,  the  Conflict  of  Ages,  in  removing 
the  chief  passage  in  the  Bible  relied  on  for  proving 
that  in  consequence  of  Adam's  sin  the  nature  of  all  men 
has  become  depraved,  has  equally  removed  the  evi- 


THE    AUGUSTINIAN   SYSTEM.  307 

dence  most  relied  on  to  prove  that  there  is  any  such 
depravity  of  nature  taught  in  the  Bible  at  all. 

This  universal,  tacit  concession  of  theologians  of  all 
schools,  in  reference  to  this  famous  passage  of  Scrip- 
ture, had  no  little  influence  in  bringing  before  the 
public  the  volume  entitled  Common  Sense  Applied  to 
JReligion,  or  the  Bible  and  the  People  before  referred  to. 

In  this  work,  the  principles  of  common  sense  and  the 
nature  or  construction  of  mind  are  by  the  author  ex- 
hibited more  at  large  than  in  this  volume.  And  the 
common-sense  system  of  religion  as  thus  educed  js 
also  set  forth,  though  less  completely  and  extensively 
than  in  this  work. 

The  laws  of  language  and  interpretation  also  are 
introduced  into  that  work  for  the  purpose  of  showing 
(in  the  second  volume  not  yet  published)  that  the  com- 
mon-sense system  is  also  taught  in  the  Bible. 

But  preliminary  to  this,  it  was  seen  to  be  important 
to  apply  the  principles  of  common  sense  to  prove  that 
the  Bible  is  a  collection  of  reliable  records,  of  reliable 
revelations  from  the  Creator  to  mankind. 

It  vras'seen  also,  that  if  the  Augustinian  system  is 
really  taught  in  these  writings,  it  is  impossible  to  prove 
them  to  be  reliable  revelations  from  God,  as  is  set  forth 
at  large  in  chapter  34  of  this  present  volume. 

For  this  reason,  in  the  Addenda  to  the  first  volume 
the  Augustinian  theory  is  introduced,  and  very  briefly 
shown  to  be,  not  only  contrary  to  the  common  sense 
and  moral  sense  of  mankind,  but  also  without  sup- 
port from  the  Bible. 

Before  publication,  this  work  was  sent  to  a  large 
number  of  those  regarded  as  among  the  most  acute 
and  profound  theologians  of  the  several  classes  de- 


808  THE    PEOPLE    REJECTING 

scribed  herein,  with  the  request  that  if  they  detected 
inaccuracies  as  to  facts^  or  fallacious  reasonings^  they 
would  point  them  out  for  revision.  In  making  this 
appeal  it  was  stated  that  the  writer  had  little  taste  for 
metaphysics  or  theology,  and  had  been  driven  to 
them  in  the  stress  of  great  sorrow  and  under  a  tremen- 
dous pressure  of  motive  as  narrated  in  the  Introduc- 
tion. 

Several  of  those  thus  addressed,  returned  criticisms 
and  remarks  in  reply.  The  book  was  then  issued,  in 
which  the  author  appeared  not  in  the  attitude  of  a 
teacher,  but  as  an  inquirer.  And  the  closing  inquir- 
ies were : 

Are  these  principles  of  common  sense  accepted  ? 

Is  the  system  of  natural  religion  evolved  by  their  aid 
accepted  ? 

Is  the  Augustinian  theory  of  depravity,  as  tried  by 
these  principles  and  the  rules  of  interpretation,  sup- 
ported either  by  reason  or  the  Bible  ? 

The  work,  as  thus  revised,  was  again  sent  to  these 
same  theologians,  and  it  was  noticed  in  most  of  the  pe- 
riodicals. 

The  result  was  the  same  as  was  accorded  to  the  ar- 
guments of  the  Conflict  of  Ages.  Some  criticisms  on 
style,  language  and  minor  matters  appeared  in  the  no- 
tices of  the  book,  but  the  above  main  questions  thus 
submitted  were  met  with  an  ominous  silence. 

None  of  the  theologians  of  any  school  has  pointed 
out  any  misstatement  of  any  specific  fact ;  nor  have 
they  attempted  to  dispute  the  principles  of  common 
sense  set  forth,  or  the  results  of  their  application  in 
the  system  thus  evolved.  Nor  have  they  attempted 
to   show  that  the  passage  in  the  Bible   on  which 


THE    AUGUSTINIAN    SYSTEM.         809 

the  Augustinian  theory  chiefly  rests,  is  sanctioned 
by  the  interpretations  of  the  apostolic  ages,  or  that 
the  interpretation  of  it  in  the  Conflict  of  Ages,  is  in- 
correct. 

Moreover,  in  the  columns  of  the  Independent,  in 
reply  to  their  notice  of  her  work,  the  following  state- 
ment was  made  by  the  author : 

'  The  case  stands  thus :  I  am  aiming  to  present,  in  a  short  and 
popular  form,  in  my  next  volume,  the  evidence  that,  in  the  Bible,  we 
have  reliable  and  authoritative  revelations  from  the  Creator,  and  to 
educe  from  these  documents  the  true  answer,  not  only  to  the  ques- 
tion, '  What  must  we  do  to  be  saved  ?*  but  to  the  grand  question 
of  my  own  profession,  '  What  must  we  do  the  most  effectively  to 
train  the  young  mind  to  virtue  and  immortality  ?' 

"  At  my  first  step  I  am  met  by  '  Young  America,'  with  such  an 
honest,  amiable,  and  powerful  leader  as  Theodore  Parker.  Re- 
garded as  holding  the  creed  in  which  I  was  educated,  and  most  ol 
my  life  have  advocated,  I  am  thus  interrogated : 

"  '  Is  not  the  Creator  the  author  of  the  constitution  of  mind  ? 

"  '  If  the  Creator  had  power  to  make  it  right  and  yet  has  made 
it  wrong,  is  he  not  proved  by  his  works  (the  only  mode  of  learn- 
ing his  character)  to  be  unwise  and  malevolent,  and  is  not  a  relia- 
ble revelation  from  such  a  being,  to  teach  the  way  of  virtue  and 
happiness,  impossible  ? 

"  '  Do  you  not  claim  that  the  Bible  teaches  that  Grod  has  proved 
his  power  to  make  mind  perfect  by  creating  angels  and  Adam 
with  perfect  minds,  and  at  the  same  time,  as  a  penalty  for  the  sin 
of  the  first  parent,  has  made  such  a  constitution  of  things,  that 
every  human  mind  comes  into  existence  with  a  ruined  and  de- 
praved nature,  that  never  can,  or  never  wiU,  act  right  till  God  re- 
creates it,  while  as  yet,  for  the  great  mass  of  mankind,  he  never 
remedies  this  wrong  ? 

"  *  Do  you  not  claim  that  the  Bible  teaches  that  no  human  being 
has  any  right  and  acceptable  feelings  or  actions  till  God  thus  re- 
creates the  mind  ? 

"  '  If  the  Bible  does  teach  thus,  we  can  find  a  nobler  Creator  and 
more  perfect  system  of  rehgion  by  the  Hght  of  nature  without  any 


810  THE    PEOPLE    EEJECTING 

revelation  at  all,  while  the  G-od  of  the  Bible,  by  its  own  showing, 
is  ^^  proved  unworthy  of  confidence  as  a  teacher  of  the  way  to  vir- 
tue and  happiness."  ' 

"  Pressed  by  these  questions,  I  have  searched  the  Bible  in  vain 
to  find  any  such  doctrines  in  its  pages.  I  find  nothing  of  the  kind, 
and  so  I  acknowledge  that  I  have  been  in  the  wrong,  and  relinquish 
the  Augustinian  dogma  in  which  I  have  been  educated,  as  unsup- 
ported either  by  reason  or  revelation;  and  first  privately  and  then 
pubhcly  ask  for  any  evidence  to  sustain  it. 

"  I  come  before  the  pubhc,  not  as  a  teacher  of  metaphysics  or 
theology,  but  as  an  inquirer  for  the  truth.  I  state,  as  nearly  as  I 
am  able,  the  difficulties  I  have  met,  and  take  every  possible 
method  to  avoid  mistake  and  misrepresentation  in  regard  to  the 
opinions  of  both  those  with  whom  I  agree  and  those  from  whom 
I  differ. 

"  I  assume  that  theology  is  capable  of  improvement ;  that  Protest- 
ant divines  are  no  more  infaUible  than  CathoHc ;  that  a  humble  and 
teachable  spirit  is  the  distinctive  mark  of  a  Christian  teacher ;  and 
that  the  courage  and  manhness  that  can  acknowledge  mistakes  is 
not  only  more  Christian,  but  even  in  the  eye  of  the  world,  is  more 
honorable  and  dignified  than  any  assumption  of  infallibility,  how- 
ever well  sustained. 

"  In  publicly  meeting  such  an  amount  of  talent,  learning,  and 
influence  as  seems  now  to  be  arrayed  against  me,  I  deem  that  it 
in  no  way  impUes  a  presumptuous  or  self-confident  spirit.  I  con- 
cede that  many  of  those  I  thus  meet  are  my  equals  or  superiors  in 
natural  abihties,  and  certainly  all  are  so  in  learning.  I  beheve  also 
they  are  men  of  conscientious  integrity,  and  that,  probably,  most 
of  them,  would  go  to  the  stake  rather  than  knowingly  to  sacrifice 
their  allegiance  to  truth,  duty,  and  God.  And  I  believe  that  if  I 
have  any  special  mission  in  this  matter,  it  is  to  illustrate  the  truth 
that  common  sense,  without  any  unusual  talents  or  learning,  united 
to  a  sincere  desire  to  learn  and  to  obey  the  truth,  are  sufficient  for 
all  men  and  all  women,  in  all  important  decisions  for  this  life,  and 
as  much  so  for  the  hfe  to  come. 

"  Nor  do  I  regard  this  as  a  resort  to  old  and  unpractical  meta- 
physical abstrusities.  It  rather  involves  that  great  practical  ques- 
tion of  life,  before  which  all  others  fade  into  nothingness — that 
question  which  meets  every  parent  and  every  teacher  for  every 


THE    AUGUSTINIAN    SYSTEM.         811 

child — which  meets  every  human  being,  as  in  sorrow,  or  disap- 
pointment, or  sickness,  or  death,  the  soul  aslcs  from  its  Creator 
help  and  guidance  for  the  dread  and  eternal  future.  Instead  of 
leading  to  metaphysical  and  theological  abstrusities,  my  hope  is  to 
entice  from  their  dark  and  sorrowful  mazes  to  the  plain  and  cheer- 
ful path  of  common  sense. 

"  The  great  question  involved  is,  have  the  people  a  reliable  reve- 
lation from  the  Creator  in  the  Bible,  and  are  they  quaHfied  to  de- 
cide what  are  its  true  teachings  on  that  great  question  of  life, 
'  What  must  we  do  to  be  saved  ?' 

"  And  at  the  same  time,  the  great  practical  question  for  my  sex 
is  no  less  at  issue,  '  How  are  we  best  to  train  the  mind  of  child- 
hood to  virtue  and  eternal  happiness?'  These  questions  surely 
are  capable  of  being,  and  should  be,  discussed  in  the  language  of 
the  common  people,  and  not  in  those  scholastic  and  metaphys- 
ical terms  which  they  can  not,  and  will  not  seek  to  comprehend. 

"  In  these  circumstances  I  endeavor  first  to  meet  the  charge  of 
my  friends  of  the  Independent,  that  I  have  misrepresented  the 
views  of  that  class  of  theologians  with  who'ji  they  fraternize,  and 
with  whom  I  claim  to  agree. 

"  I  offer  the  following  as  the  exact  words  in  which  I  have 
heard  the  Kew  Haven  divines  express  their  opinions,  and  which, 
on  my  application,  were  sent  to  me  as  a  correct  statement  of  their 
views,  as  taught  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  in  the  New 
Haven  School  of  Theology. 

"  They  maintain  that  '  man,  after  the  fall  of  Adam,  was  as  truly 
created  in  God's  image  as  was  Adam ;  that  Christ  was  tempted  in 
all  points  like  as  we  are ;  that  the  stronger  are  our  inferior  pro- 
pensities, if  we  govern  them,  as  we  can,  by  the  morally  right  act  of 
the  will,  the  greater  is  the  moral  excellence  of  the  act.  They  do 
not  maintain  that  man  has  full  power  to  change  his  depraved  na- 
ture without  divine  aid,  for  they  have  never  supposed  he  has  a 
depraved  nature  in  any  sense^  or  a  corrupt  nature,  much  less  a  siij- 
ful  nature,  to  be  changed ;  but  rather  that  in  nature  he  is  like  God, 
In  discussions,  they  have  always  opposed  the  use  of  language  by 
my  father  and  Mr.  Barnes  of  a  corrupt  nature,  not  sinful.' 

"  I  present  this  as  an  exact  statement  of  my  own  views,  and  I 
claim  that,  on  the  point  of  the  native  character  of-  the  human 
mind,  it  is  the  Pelagian  ground  in  opposition  to  the  Augmtinian^ 


812  THE    PEOPLE    EEJECTING 

and  that  no  third  ground  is  possible.  If  I  am  wrong  in  either 
particular,  I  ask  to  be  enlightened  by  the  editors  of  the  Independ- 
ent, and  by  the  New  Haven  divines  themselves.  I  claim  also 
that,  so  far  as  I  can  see,  this  is  the  only  ground  on  which  the  ar- 
gument above  stated,  as  that  of '  Young  America,'  can  be  success- 
fully met. 

"  I  understand  the  editors  of  the  Independent  that  they  occupy 
the  Augustinian  ground,  and  I  therefore  appeal  to  them,  as  well 
as  to  the  theologians  of  Princeton,  Andover,  Union,  and  Lane,  to 
instruct  me  and  the  pubHo  wherein  I  have  misstated  their  views, 
and  above  all,  to  instruct  us  how,  with  this  dogma  fastened  to  it, 
the  Bible  can  be  sustained  against  the  above  infidel  argument.  In 
reference  to  this,  should  any  thing  be  attempted,  I  offer  these 
questions  for  attention : 

"  Is  there  any  passage  in  the  Bible  that  teaches  that  the  minds 
of  the  angels  or  of  Adam  were  not  made  exactly  like  those  of 
the  descendants  of  Adam,  and  subjected  to  the  same  slow  and 
gradual  process  of  acquisition  and  development  ? 

*'  I  have  looked  and  inquired  in  vain  to  find  any  such  passage, 
or  to  find  any  person  who  ever  found  one. 

"  Is  there  any  passage  in  the  Bible  that  teaches  that  the  nature 
or  constitution  of  the  mind  of  man  is  not  the  test  that  is  possible  in 
the  nature  of  things  ?    I  have  never  been  able  to  find  any. 

"  Is  there  any  passage  in  the  Bible  that  teaches  that  man  has 
received  a  ruined  nature  in  consequence  of  Adam's  sin  ? 

"  I  have  read  long  arguments  from  Dr.  Hodge  of  Princeton, 
proving  that  there  is  no  such  thing  taught  in  Romans  v.,  the  only 
passage  ever  claimed  to  teach  this  doctrine  that  I  ever  heard  of. 
My  brother.  Dr.  E.  Beecher,  thus  concludes  a  long  argument  on 
this  subject  in  the  Conflict  of  Ages :  '  The  doctrine  that  our  de- 
praved natures  or  our  sinful  conduct  have  been  caused  or  occa- 
sioned by  the  sin  of  Adam,  is  not  asserted  in  any  part  of  God's 
word.' " 

The  Mgli,  moral  and  intellectual  character  of  the  gen- 
tlemen to  whom  this  appeal  was  thus  made,  forbids  the 
idea  that  they  would  allow  such  statements  and  argu- 
ments and  appeals  to  go  unnoticed  if  they  felt  able  to 


THE    AUGUSTINIAN    SYSTEM.  313 

afford  any  light  in  reply  to  these  questions.  It  was 
their  highest  duty  as  teachers  of  theology,  if  they  could 
do  it,  to  show  how  to  answer  the  argument  of  "Young 
America"  against  the  Bible  as  containing  the  Augus- 
tinian  dogma;  to  show  that  the  passage  introduced 
above  as  a  specimen  of  the  Pelagianism  taught  by  the 
New  Haven  divines  either  is  not  the  doctrine  they 
teach  or  is  not  Pelagianism ;  to  show  that  there  are 
some  passages  in  the  Bible  that  teach  that  the  nature  or 
the  constitution  of  man  is  not  the  best  possible  in  the 
nature  of  things,  and  is  different  from  that  of  the  un- 
sinning  angels  or  un fallen  Adam ;  and  finally,  to  show 
that  there  is  some  passage  in  the  Bible  that  teaches 
that  the  depraved  nature  of  man  was  caused  or  occa- 
sioned by  the  sin  of  Adam. 

Not  only  the  professors  and  editors  thus  addressed, 
but  all  the  theologians  of  all  schools,  so  far  as  the 
writer  can  learn,  have  maintained  a  profound  silence 
on  all  these  questions.  The  Independent  also  declined 
any  discussion  thus:  "We  have  no  intention  of  sur- 
rendering our  columns  to  a  theological  or  psychological 
controversy  such  as  might  be  introduced  by  the  com- 
munication we  now  publish." 

The  writer  after  this,  in  several  cases,  suggested  to 
some  of  the  most  active  and  intelligent  minds  in  some 
of  the  above  theological  seminaries,  to  endeavor  to  se- 
cure a  full  discussion  of  these  topics  in  their  lecture 
rooms,  and  was  told,  in  reply,  that  all  such  efforts  were 
decidedly  discouraged. 

She  also  addressed  notes  to  several  editors  of  the 

secular  press  to  see  if  their  columns  could  be  used  for 

the  purpose.     From  the  one  whose  past  freedom  led 

to  the  expectation  of  an  affirmative  answer,  the  reply 

14 


314  PEESENT    POSITION 

was,  that  lie  had  promised  his  orthodox  friends  that  he 
woiild  not  needlessly  introduce  heresy  into  his  paper, 
and  that  the  greatest  of  all  heresies  was  common  sense  ! 

Finally,  on  consulting  one  of  the  most  shrewd  and 
best  informed  publishers  in  regard  to  the  future  vol- 
ume, he  expressed  the  opinion  that  "  in  whatever  else 
theologians  differed,  they  were  al}  united  in  the  deter- 
mination that  the  investigation  proposed  by  the  au- 
thor should  not  he  permitted^'' 

This  being  so,  the  author  has  concluded,  and  the 
public  probably  will  conclude,  that  the  most  profound 
and  acute  theologians  of  this  country  have  relinquished 
the  idea  of  attempting  any  farther  defense  of  the  Au- 
gustinian  dogma. 


CHAPTEE    XLYI. 

PRESENT    POSITION    OF    THE    CHURCH. 

The  word  "  church,"  as  used  in  this  article,  refers 
chiefly  to  those  close  corporations  which  claim  to  be 
regenerated  persons,  whose  depraved  nature,  transmit- 
ted from  Adam,  has  been  so  fax  rectified  by  re-creation, 
that  they  are,  more  or  less,  in  the  practice  of  true  vir- 
tue, of  which  the  unregenerate  world  are  supposed  to 
be  totally  destitute. 

In  this  sense  they  claim  to  be  '*  the  saints,"  "  the 
Tighteous,"  "  the  elect,"  "  the  children  of  God,"  "  the 
Bait  of  the  earth,"  "  the  light  of  the  world,"  "  a  holy 
nation,"  "  a  peculiar  people." 

While  the  members  of  these  churches  do  not  claim 
that  all  who  do  not  come  into  their  organizations  are 


OF    THE    CHURCH.  815 

of  the  opposite  class,  they  do,  by  their  profession  and 
admission  to  such  churches,  claim  to  be  of  the  regene- 
rated class,  to  whom  the  above  terms  of  the  Bible  are 
to  be  apphed,  while  the  great  majority  of  mankind, 
not  in  these  organizations,  are  called  by  them  "  the 
world,"  "the  unregenerate,"  "sinners,"  "the  wicked," 
and  by  other  similar  terms. 

So  long  as  the  great  body  of  the  people  were  guided 
chiefly  by  ecclesiastics,  and  were  thus  trained  to  believe] 
that  heaven  was  to  be  gained  by  some  unintelligible  ! 
"change  of  nature,"  imparted  by  priestly  agency,  or' 
by  some  supernatural  intervention  of  Grod's  Spirit, 
these  claims  were  regarded  with  mystified  fear  and  I 
doubt.  I 

But  the  more  intelligence  and  discussion  have  spread  I 
among  the  people,  the  more  such  claims  have  been^' 
questioned  and  distrusted. 

Many  things  have  combined  to  increase  such  dis- 
trust. Among  these  may  be  mentioned  the  discus- 
sions already  noticed,  conducted  by  theologians  them- 
selves, by  which  the  absurdities  and  inconsistencies 
maintained  by  each,  were  exposed  by  all  the  others. 

Another  cause  of  distrust  has  been  the  great  variety 
of  tests  and  signs  of  regeneration.  One  class  of  relig- 
ious teachers  claim  a  certain  kind  of  experience  as  in- 
dispensable to  admission  to  the  church.  A  second 
class  reprobate  this  sign  and  set  up  another.  A  third 
class  depreciate  both  and  insist  upon  still  another./^ 
And  thus  it  is  made  apparent,  that  theologians  do  not 
agree  among  themselves  what  the  "depraved  nature" 
of  man  consists  in,  nor  what  are  the  true  signs  or  ev- 
idence of  its  "  saving  change." 

Another  cause  of  distrust  has  arisen  from  attempts 


316  PRESENT    POSITION 

to  carry  out  a  system  of  church  discipline.  Some 
cliurclies  expel  persons  for  interpreting  the  Bible  in  a 
different  mode  from  themselves  or  their  creed.  Others 
expel  their  members  for  vending  alcoholic  drinks,  or 
for  dancing,  or  for  holding  slaves,  or  for  marrying  the 
sister  of  a  deceased  wife.  Meantime,  the  sins  of  pride, 
anger,  covetousness,  avarice,  worldliness,  evil  temper, 
unfairness  in  business,  hard  dealings  with  the  poor, 
and  many  other  developments  of  selfishness,  often  are 
made  no  bar  to  full  and  honorable  communion. 

Again,  in  churches  and  sects  that  are  most  strenu- 
ous in  attempting  to  maintain  by  church  discipline  a 
uniformity  of  interpretation  of  the  Bible  conformed  to 
their  own,  it  has  come  to  pass  that  orthodoxy  of  in- 
terpretation is  sometimes  praciica%  placed  before  mo-^ 
rality  of  conduct  Thus,  if  a  member  of  a  church  or) 
a  minister  is  suspected  of  denying  the  supreme  divin- 
ity of  Christ,  or  the  depravity  and  need  of  regenera- 
tion of  nature  in  man,  a  great  agitation  is  produced, 
and  attempts  are  made,  by  church  discipline,  to  rectify 
the  evil  as  very  dangerous.  In  the  meantime,  a  slan- 
derous tongue,  or  dishonest  dealings,  or  selfish  world- 
liness, excite  less  concern,  and  arouse  to  less  effort. 
The  inevitable  result  is  an  impression  that  churches 
and  ministers  place  conformity  of  interpretation  to 
their  own  creeds  or  opinions  before  morality,  and 
consequently  the  feeling  is  engendered,  that  church  or- 
ganizations^ founded  on  the  Augustinian  theory,  tend  to 
immorality. 

This  impression  as  to  the  immoral  tendency  of  such 
church  organizations,  has  been  increased  by  the  fact 
that  in  times  of  special  religious  excitement,  that  class 
of  men  in  many  cases,  become  most  prominent  as  lead- 


OF    THE    CHURCn.  317 

ers  in  prayer  meetings  and  other  public  ministries 
whose  character  for  consistency  in  private  life,  or  in 
business  matters,  is  low.  It  is  perceived  that  this  fact 
does  not  prevent  these  men  from  being  regarded  as 
religious  men,  and  as  superior  to  others,  who,  living 
exemplary  lives,  are  unable  or  unwilling  to  take  any 
conspicuous  place  in  religious  movements.  And  when 
the  period  of  excitement  is  passed,  it  is  found  that 
these  leaders  in  revival  seasons  are  no  better  in  their 
private  life  and  business  dealings  than  before. 

It  is  also  sometimes  the  case  that  men  of  high  char- 
acter and  position,  can  not  be  reached  by  church  dis- 
cipline as  are  the  humbler  members,  and  thus  sin  is 
made  respectable  by  its  association  at  once  with  tal- 
ents, influence,  wealth  and  church  membership. 

In  addition  to  this,  the  fact  that  so  many  ministers 
and  churches  have  taken  such  an  antagonistic  course 
in  the  public  movements  to  remove  intemperance  and 
slavery  from  our  land,  has  led  to  open  attacks  on  min- 
isters and  churches  in  the  newspapers,  in  public  lec-^ 
tures  and  in  many  other  ways,  in  which  their  incon- 
sistencies have  been  held  up  to  public  ridicule  as  well 
as  to  more  serious  denunciation. 

So  long  as  the  "  change  of  nature,"  which  fits  man 
for  heaven,  was  regarded  as  a  supernatural  mystery 
which  no  one  could  understand  or  explain,  while  the 
approved  signs  of  regeneration  were  submitted  only 
to  ministers,  deacons,  elders  and  church  committees, 
the  matter  was  exclusively  in  their  keeping. 

But  as  soon  as  the  nature  of  regeneration  began  to 
be  explained  intelligibly,  and  men  adopted  the  com- 
mon-sense view,  that  the  trve  church  consists  of  per- 
sons who  not  only  believe  in  Christ  intellectually,  but 


318  PEESENT    POSITION 

believe  practically^  i.  e.,  that  thej  are  those  wlio  ohey 
Christ,  the  case  bore  a  different  aspect.  "  These  are 
the  persons,"  thej  say,  ''who  organize  on  the  assump- 
tion that  they  are  regenerated  because  they  obey 
Christ's  teachings,  while  so  many  virtuous  persons 
are  shut  out  as  totally  and  entirely  disobedient, — as 
never  feeling  or  acting  truly  virtuously  in  the  sight 
of  God  in  a  single  instance  I" 

The  more  this  questionable  assumption  has  become 
apparent,  the  more  has  been  the  disturbing  influence 
on  both  the  church  and  the  world. 

Multitudes  of  serious,  virtuous  and  conscientious 
persons,  who  are  really  living  Christian  lives  and 
making  it  their  chief  concern  to  obey  the  great  Mas- 
ter, have  refused  to  join  associations  that  make  such 
dubious  claims. 

Still  more  has  been  the  revulsion  from  those 
churches  which  demand  as  terms  to  admission  pro- 
fessed belief  in  certain  modes  of  interpreting  the 
Bible  contained  in  a  creed.  They,  holding  the  Prot- 
estant doctrine  that  every  man  is  to  interpret  the  Bible 
for  himself,  responsible  to  no  man  or  body  of  men, 
can  not  thus  resign  their  religious  liberty. 

Meantime,  the  Christian  profession  has  ceased  to  be 
a  cross  in  any  way,  and  has  rather  become  honorable. 
Those  who  have  been  taught  that  a  purpose  or  determ- 
ination to  obey  Christ  was  regeneration,  have  in  many 
cases  formed  such  a  purpose,  confessed  belief  in  the 
needful  creeds  and  joined  the  church  in  great  num- 
bers, before  they  had  time  to  ascertain  whether  they 
had  moral  strength  to  carry  out  this  purpose.  They 
find  on  trial  that  they  have  not,  and  then  discover 
that  though  there  is  an  open  door  to  enter  the  church 


OF  THE 

iUr  vr  T  1 

OF   THE    CHURCH 


^y      OF  TBS  ' 


tliere  is  none  for  exit  that  is  not  discredk^^audjso 
thej  remain. 

Others  come  into  the  church  for  worse  motives,  to 
secure  the  confidence,  lespect  and  trust  that  is  accord- 
ed to  that  profession.  Thus  it  has  come  to  pass  that 
the  class,  denominated  "the  world,"  has  been  growing 
in  Christian  character  and  practical  virtue,  while,  as  a 
body,  "  the  church"  has  been  deteriorating. 

The  writer,  in  her  very  extensive  travels  and  inter- 
course with  the  religious  world,  has  had  unusual  op- 
portunities to  notice  how  surely  and  how  extensively 
the  conviction  of  this  fact  has  been  pressed  on  the 
minds  of  the  best  class  of  Christian  ministers  and  lay- 
men. More  than  twenty  years  ago,  one  of  the  most 
laborious  Episcopal  bishops  of  the  western .  States,  in 
reply  to  inquiries  as  to  the  state  of  religion  in  his 
large  diocese  replied,  "  the  world  is  growing  better  and 
the  church  is  growing  worse." 

More  than  ten  years  ago,  a  distinguished  lawyer,  who 
had  extensive  financial  business  to  transact,  himself 
an  honored  and  exemplary  fhember  of  the  church, 
stated  to  the  writer  that  he  was  decided  in  the  convic- 
tion that  the  better  class  of  worldly  men  were  more 
honorable  and  reliable  in  business  matters  than  the 
majority  of  church  members.  When  asked  to  ac- 
count for  this,  the  reply  was  that  religious  men  were 
chiefly  interested  to  get  to  heaven,  which  in  their  view 
was  to  be  secured  "  by  faith  and  not  by  works,"  and 
so  good  works  became  a  secondary  concern.  But  the 
chief  concern  of  worldly  men  is  to  succeed  in  this  life, 
and  they  have  learned  that  honesty  is  the  best  policy 
in  attaining  their  chief  end. 

This  statement  was  repeated  to  another  exemplary 


320  PRESENT    POSITION 

cliurcli  member,  who,  as  a  bank  officer  and  lawyer 
of  distinguished  integrity,  was  said  to  transact  more 
business  than  any  other  man  in  the  north-western 
States.  He  remarked  that  the  above  was  exactly  his 
own  opinion,  and,  moreover,  he  stated  that  a  friend  of 
his,  also  a  church  member,  who,  he  said,  did  more 
business  than  any  other  man  in  Central  New  York, 
had  expressed  to  him  the  same  opinion. 

These  statements  were  repeated  not  long  ago  to  a 
business  man,  an  exemplary  member  of  an  orthodox 
church  in  Boston,  and  he  expressed  the  same  opinion. 
In  repeated  other  instances  that  need  not  be  enumer- 
ated, in  various  sections  of  the  country,  the  same  opin- 
ion has  been  expressed  by  intelligent  and  consistent 
members  of  the  church,  whose  prejudices  would  nat- 
urally lead  them  to  the  most  favorable  view  of  the 
case. 

Such  impressions  have  not  been  decreased  by  the 
recent  multiplied  defalcations,  forgeries,  and  other 
business  dishonesties  t^at  have  occurred  in  the  last 
three  years  among  church  members  and  officers  of  re- 
ligious charities  in  high  places  of  trust. 

To  all  this  add  the  fact,  that  a  large  class  of  men  of 
exemplary  private  life,  who  are  spending  their  time, 
money  and  influence  for  the  relief  of  human  woes  and 
the  redress  of  social  and  political  wrongs,  are  at  the 
same  time  openly  attacking  the  church  as  the  chief 
bulwark  of  these  wrongs,  while  all  the  delinquencies 
of  ministers  and  churches  are  freely  discussed  and  de- 
nounced by  them  hefore  the  people. 

The  result  is,  that  a  large  portion  of  the  most  ex 
emplary  and  intelligent  part  of  the  church  feel  them 
pelves  to  be  in  a  dubious  and  falst-  position,  and  ar 


.      OFTHECHURCH.  321 

daily  querying  whether  j^rofessing  to  be  a  'peculiar  peo- 
ple is  not  doing  more  harm  than  good ;  and  whether  it 
would  not  be  better  that  the  influence  of  good  men 
should  rest  on  their  unassociated  individual  character, 
and  not  on  organizations  making  such  high  profession 
where  the  light  of  goodness  is  obscured  bj  associated 
darkness. 

Great  doubt  and  skepticism,  both  in  the  church  and 
out  of  it,  have  thus  arisen  also  as  to  ivhat  real  religion 
consists  in,  and  as  to  what  are  the  true  claims  of  the 
church  and  its  ministry. 

Multitudes  who  would  enter  the  church  if  it  was 
regarded  simply  as  an  association  of  persons  to  sup- 
port the  ordinances  appointed  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  to 
aid  each  other  in  obeying  his  Word,  turn  from  its 
present  position  and  claims  with  distrust  or  disgust. 
At  the  same  time  ministers  and  church  members,  feel- 
ing these  difO-culties,  have  more  and  more  relinquished 
the  Augustinian  theory  as  the  basis  of  their  organiza- 
tioD,  and  are  advancing  to  an  open  avowal  of  the  com- 
mon-sense ground,  i.  e.,  that  the  real  invisible  church 
of  Christ  embraces  all  those  who  acknowledge  him  as 
their  Lord  and  Master,  and  make  it  their  chief  aim  to 
understand  and  to  obey  his  teachings,  and  that  a  vis- 
ible church  is  any  association  of  persons  who  organize 
to  aid  each  other  in  this  object,  by  sustaining  a  min- 
istry and  worship  as  they  understand  to  be  most  in 
agreement  with  the  teachings  of  Christ. 

The  Episcopal  church,  both  in  Great  Britain  and  in 
this  country,  although  as  strictly  Augustinian  in  its 
articles  as  any  other,  has  taken  the  lead  of  all  others 
in  practically  renouncing  that  system.  Any  man  can 
more  readily  secure  all  the  privileges  of  membership 


822  PKESENT   POSITION 

in  that  cliurcli  without  any  confession  of  faith  or  pub- 
lic profession  of  a  ''  change  of  nature,"  than  in  any  of 
the  other  Augustinian  denominations,  and  this  is  prob- 
ably one  great  reason  of  its  prosperity  in  this  country. 

Any  sensible  man  of  good  moral  character,  who 
should  state  in  a  respectful  and  candid  spirit,  that  he 
could  not  conscientiously  submit  to  acknowledging 
in  any  form,  the  rights  of  any  man  or  body  of  men 
to  decide  for  him  in  regard  to  the  interpretation  of 
the  Bible;  that  according  to  his  understanding  of 
its  teachings,  he  was  bound  to  acknowledge  Jesus 
Christ  as  his  Lord  and  Master  in  all  matters  of  faith 
and  practice,  and  to  associate  himself  with  other 
avowed  followers  of  Christ  by  some  form  of  open  ac- 
knowledgment ;  that  as  he  understands  the  New  Test- 
ament, the  rites  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper 
were  instituted  as  forms  of  such  acknowledgment 
and  communion,  and  that  he  wished  thus  to  connect 
himself  with  the  Episcopal  church  without  any  creed, 
confession  or  acknowledgment ;  it  is  believed,  that  in 
such  a  case,  there  are  few  ministers  and  still  fewer  lay- 
men who  would  not  think  it  right  to  gratify  such  a 
desire.  It  is  believed  that  there  are  many,  also,  of  the 
highest  standing  for  intellect,  piety  and  position  in  the 
Presbyterian,  Baptist,  Methodist  and  Congregational 
churches,  who  have  so  far  thrown  aside  the  system  of 
Augustine,  that  they  also  would  receive  such  a  man 
to  their  communion  on  these  terms. 

Li  this  state  of  feeling  among  laymen  the  develop- 
ments of  sectarianism,  which,  as  has  been  shown,  all 
relate  to  matters  of  rites  and  forms,  resulting  from 
the  Augustinian  theory,  have  become  more  and  more 
suspicious  and  oifensive.     Especially  is  this  the  case 


OF    THE    CHURCH.  323 

in  tlie  newer  States,  wliere  union  and  harmony  among 
good  men  are  most  needed. 

In  the  volume,  of  Common  Sense  Applied  to  Bdig- 
lon,  page  342,  statistics  are  introduced  from  the  reports 
of  three  of  the  largest  sects  of  this  country,  the  Old 
and  Kew  school  Pre§byterian  and  the  Congregational 
churches,  showing  that,  owing  to  their  sectarian  di- 
visions, nearly  one  third  of  their  churches  are  without 
ministers;  and  nearly  one  half  of  these  churches  have 
not  over  fifty  members,  the  majority  of  these  being 
women,  while  the  relative  amount  of  ministers  to 
churches  is  constantly  decreasing.  Not  only  in  the 
large,  but  the  smaller  towns,  the  struggle  to  build 
churches  and  support  ministers  among  the  various 
sects,  that  differ  only  as  to  rites  and  forms,  is  most 
mournful,  making  a  taxation  both  on  the  East  and 
West  for  their  support  which  is  incredible. 

Each  denomination  is  trained  to  regard  itself  as 
"  the  church  of  God"  and  to  labor  for  its  increase  as 
a  service  to  God's  cause,  while  the  extension  of  other 
sects  is  not  so  regarded.  Although  few  intelligent 
Protestants  now  believe  that  any  forms  or  rites  are  in- 
dispensable to  salvation,  each  sect  regards  its  own  pe- 
culiarity as  of  very  great  importance.  And  as  all  the 
large  sects  are  divided  only  on  modes  of  baptism  or 
of  church  organization  there  is  a  constant  tendency  to 
magnify  these  points  of  difference  Were  it  not  for 
this,  in  small  places  and  in  new  settlements,  all  would 
unite  in  one  large,  harmonious  church,  that  could  not 
only  support  its  own  ordinances,  but  send  of  its  sur- 
plus to  supply  the  destitute.  Instead  of  this,  the 
feuds,  envies  jealousies  and  bickerings  between  small 
and  struggling  churches,  of  from  four  to  twenty  di- 


324  PRESENT    POSITION,    ETC. 

verse  sects,  are  an  occasion  of  reproach  and  contempt 
to  the  world,  and  of  mortification  to  all  honorable  and 
pious  minds. 

So  in  regard  to  education,  each  sect  is  now  acting 
as  a  sect,,  in  starting  new  colleges  and  seminaries,  or  in 
endowing  those  already  started^  and  this  often  with 
little  reference  to  the  supply  provided  by  other  sects. 
For  example,  in  Ohio  there  are  twenty-six  endowed 
colleges,  in  Indiana  there  are  eleven^  and  thus  at  the 
same  rate  in  other  new  States. 

Besides  endowments  to  support  professors,  vast 
sums  have  been  spent  in  buildings,  many  of  them 
unused  for  want  of  pupils.  After  each  sect  has  thus 
gained  its  colleges,  it  must  struggle  to  find  pupils,  and 
thus  multitudes  of  young  boys  are  pressed  into  a 
Latin  and  Greek  course,  not  at  all  demanded  in  their 
future  pursuits,  and  often  forsaken  before  the  college  is 
ever  reached.  The  waste  of  educational  benefactions 
in  these  ways  is  enormous. 

These  expenditures  are  all  to  be  met  by  the  laity, 
and  the  more  the  nature  of  these  sectarian  divisions 
is  understood,  the  more  distrustful  are  the  people  in 
regard  to  these  profuse  expenditures  to  keep  up  such 
divisions.  Multitudes  of  intelHgent  laymen  contrib- 
ute simply  because  their  clergymen  urge  it,  and  en- 
tirely without  intelligent  approval  of  these  things. 
To  their  own  view,  Christianity,  as  exhibited  by  con- 
tending sects,  is  a  source  of  more  evil  feeling,  conten- 
tion and  needless  expense  than  of  compensating  ben- 
efits, and  distrust  and  misgiving  increase  and  abound. 

In  such  a  position  of  the  organized  church,  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  indications  to  be  noted  is  the  oc- 
currence of  a  "  revival"  among  all  sects,  in  which  the 


STATE    OF    PASTOES.  825 

'peo][)le  take  the  lead,  and  theologians  and  pastors  wil- 
lingly resign  their  wonted  place.  All  badges  of  sect 
are  dropped,  and  the  dogmas  of  Augustine,  from 
which  they  originated,  are  thrown  aside.  The  system 
of  common  sense  is  recognized,  and  its  intelligent  and 
harmonizing  influence  secures,  for  the  first  time,  the 
respectful  attention  of  worldly  men  toward  religious 
developments,  which  in  all  past  time  have  been  re- 
garded by  them  with  suspicion  or  scorn. 


CHAPTEE    XLYII. 

STATE   OF  THE    PASTORS  OF  CHURCHES. 

That  portion  of  the  clerical  world  who,  as  pastors, 
are  most  nearly  in  connection  with  the  people,  are 
necessarily  affected  with  the  influences  that  touch  the- 
ologians, and  also  with  the  condition  of  their  people. 

They  find  that  what  they  have  been  trained  to  re- 
gard as  2i.  fundamental  doctrine  of  the  Bible,  has  ceased 
to  be  defended  by  those  who  have  been  their  teachers 
in  theology,  and  who  are  the  leaders  of  their  sect. 

They  find  their  own  minds  very  greatly  in  doubt 
as  to  many  points  taught  them  in  their  theological 
training.  They  find  intelligent  laymen  refusing  to  en- 
ter the  church,  whom  they  feel  to  be  as  really  follow- 
ers of  Christ  in  heart  and  life  as  any  in  their  churches, 
while  they  see  many  professors  of  religion  as  selfish, 
worldly  and  unprincipled  as  most  of  the  world  around, 
and  yet  they  can  not  exclude  them. 

They  find  intelligent  young  men  coming  to  them 
expressing  a  desire  to  obey  Christ  and  to  unite  with 


326  STATE    OF    THE 

his  followers  in  efforts  to  "  be  good  and  to  do  good/' 
but  unable  to  subscribe  to  tbe  creed  of  the  church  in 
regard  to  a  depraved  nature  and  associated  tenets, 
while  by  one  expedient  or  another  these  pastors  waive 
the  difficulty  and  receive  them  into  their  churches. 
They  find  intelligent  mothers  and  Sunday-school 
teachers  throwing  aside  the  Augustinian  dogma,  and 
training  their  little  ones  to  believe  that  they  can  love 
and  serve  their  Saviour  with  their  present  nature  and 
faculties,  and  that  every  attempt  to  conform  to  the 
rules  of  duty  is  well-pleasing  to  God,  and  a  step 
forward  in  the  path  to  heaven. 

They  find  intelligent  Christian  mothers  wishing  to 
bring  their  children  to  the  communion  with  no  other 
profession  than  that  they  desire  and  intend  to  obey 
their  Saviour  in  all  things. 

In  this  state  of  things,  some  of  the  most  successful 
and  intelligent  pastors  have  decided,  in  such  cases,  to 
cut  loose  from  their  creeds  and  confessions,  and  to  re- 
ceive to  the  communion  any  young  children  whom 
their  parents  believe  and  feel  to  be  thus  prepared 
for  it. 

The  position  assumed  by  the  parochial  clergy  in  the 
great  revival  of  the  past  year,  has  been  a  remarkable 
index. 

The  people  of  all  sects  and  creeds  came  together  to 
express  their  wish  and  intention  to  serve  the  Lord 
Christ  by  obedience  to  his  word  in  heart  and  life. 
and  their  pastors  sat  with  them  as  equals  in  all  re- 
spects before  the  common  Father.  They  related  their 
experience;  they  exhorted  each  other  to  persevere; 
they  united  in  prayers  for  help  and  guidance,  and 
their  pastors  ceased  to  urge  attention  to  those  "  doc- 


PASTORS    OF    CHURCHES.  827 

trines"  founded  on  the  Augustinian  theory,  wHch  in 
fol-mer  revivals  were  made  so  prominent. 

There  are  incidents  that  have  come  under  the  per- 
sonal observation  of  the  writer  the  past  year  in  regard 
to  the  parochial  clergy  which  are  very  ominous  on  ac- 
count of  the  character  of  the  persons  involved,  who 
not  only  are  among  the  first  in  intelHgence  and  influ- 
ence, but  may  properly  be  denominated,  in  reference 
to  the  leading  class  of  pastors,  "  representative  men." 

In.  one  case,  a  young  man  of  great  intelligence  and 
moral  worth,  who  might  properly  be  regarded  as  a 
"  representative  man"  of  the  better  portion  of  "  Young 
America,"  informed  the  writer  that  he  and  his  wife 
had  accepted  the  general  invitation  of  their  pastor  to 
receive  the  communion.  Inasmuch  as  the  doctrines 
of  the  creed  of  that  church  were  not  accepted  by  him, 
the  inquiry  was  made  whether  this  step  was  taken 
with  the  approval  of  his  pastor,  and  the  reply  was  in 
the  affirmative. 

The  inquiry  was  then  made,  on  what  ground  he 
united  in  this  ordinance.  The  reply  was,  substan- 
tially, that  he  wished  to  be  good  and  to  do  good, 
guided  bj  the  teachings  of  Christ ;  that  he  wished  to 
be  united  in  feeling  and  action  with  good  men,  who 
cherish  the  same  aims,  and  also  to  make  it  manifest 
that  he  was  associated  with  that  class;  that  he  re- 
garded this  sacramental  ordinance  as  instituted  for 
this  very  purpose,  while  his  minister,  as  a  consist- 
ent Protestant,  did  not  insist  that  he  should  inter- 
pret the  Bible  according  to  his  creed  or  be  shut  out 
from  this  privilege. 

In  another  case,  an  intelligent  mother  who  had 
trained   her  children  exclusively  on   the  common- 


828  PASTORS    OF    CHURCHES. 

sense  theory,  informed  tlie  writer  tliat  she  had  taken 
them  to  the  Lord's  Table  with  the  consent  of  one  of 
the  most  distinguished  pastors  of  the  land,  without 
any  examination  or  admission  to  the  church.  She 
simply  narrated  to  him  her  own  opinion  that  her 
children  from  early  years  had  learned  to  love  the 
Saviour  and  to  be  conscientious  in  daily  efforts  to 
obey  his  teachings ;  that  they  and  she  felt  that  they 
were  commanded  by  their  Saviour  openly  to  ac- 
knowledge themselves  as  his  followers,  "even  to  the 
death,"  if  need  be,  in  order  to  fulfill  all  righteous- 
ness, and  that  they  did  not  and  could  not  believe  the 
creed  of  that  church,  nor  in  the  right  of  any  man,  or 
body  of  men,  to  exact  such  belief  under  penalty  of 
exclusion  from  the  table  of  their  Lord. 

The  pastor  welcomed  these  lambs  of  the  fold  with 
their  mother,  and  felt  that  had  he  driven  them  away 
it  would  have  been  in  defiance  to  their  Saviour's  word, 
"Suffer  the  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid 
them  not." 

In  still  another  case,  one  of  the  most  honored  Con- 
gregational pastors  of  ISTew  England  openly  declared 
to  friends  of  the  writer  that  it  was  in  vain  to  try  to 
preach  this  Augustinian  system  any  longer ;  that  the 
people  would  not  hear  it,  and  that  he  should  have  to 
preach  to  bare  walls  if  he  attempted  it  any  more. 

Many  other  similar  incidents  that  have  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  writer  in  different  quarters  of  the 
country,  might  be  added,  but  the  above  will  suffice  as 
illustrative  indications  of  the  present  position  of  pas- 
tors. 


POPULAR    EDUCATION-.  329 

CHAPTEE    XLYIII. 

THE  POSITION"  OF  POPULAR  EDUCATIOIT. 

It  is  a  significant  fact  in  regard  to  tlie  religions 
training  of  tlie  young  in  tMs  country,  that  tTie  most 
influential  leaders  of  popular  education,  especially  in 
its  earlier  stages  of  improvement,  have  been  laymen, 
and  laymen  who  reject  the  Augustinian  dogma,  and 
all  organizations  founded  on  it.  And  yet  they  are 
men  who  believe  in,  and  have  exhibited  by  their  ex- 
ample, the  great  duty  of  love  to  God  and  love  to 
man,  in  a  life  of  obedience  to  the  physical,  social  and 
moral  laws  of  God. 

Meantime,  the  laws  of  the  land  which  forbid  any 
exclusive  favor  to  any  religious  sect,  do,  in  fact,  for- 
bid any  religious  training  in  common  schools  that 
conflicts  with  the  common-sense  system.  It  has  been 
shown  (chapter  39)  that  the  larger  Christian  sects  are 
all  founded,  in  their  distinctive  features,  on  the  Au- 
gustinian dogma.  This  being  so,  the  law  that  ex- 
cludes distinctive  sectarian  teaching  excludes  the  Au- 
gustinian system. 

In  regard  to  smaller  sects,  not  Augustinian,  the  dis- 
tinctive doctrine  of  the  Unitarian  creed  is  such  a  unity 
in  regard  to  the  Creator  as  forbids  the  idea  of  more 
than  one  divine  person  who  has  all  the  attributes  of 
God.  This,  it  has  been  shown  in  chapter  18,  is  con- 
trary to  the  common-sense  system. 

The  distinctive  doctrine  of  the  Universalist  creed 
forbids  the  idea  of  the  perpetuated  existence  of  sinful 
and  miserable  beings ;  this,  also,  is  contrary  to  the 
common-sense  system,  as  shown  in  chapter  28.     Thus 


830  POPULAR    ADUCAIION. 

the  chief  sects  that  are  not  counted  as  Augnstinian  or 
Evangelical,  are  also  excluded  from  introducing  their 
distinctive  tenets  into  the  common  schools  of  the  people. 

Moreover,  while  the  people,  in  the  schools  undei 
their  control,  thus  forbid  bj  law  any  religious  train- 
ing which  conflicts  with  the  common-sense  system, 
they  permit  prayers  to  God  and  the  use  of  the  Bible, 
'provided  the  privilege  is  not  used,  in ,  opposition  to 
the  spirit  of  the  above  law,  to  introduce  distinctive 
sectarian  tenets. 

It  is  also  very  noticable  that  in  Great  Britain  the 
most  influential  patrons  of  popular  education,  and  writ- 
ers on  the  training  of  the  young,  have,  though  members 
of  the  established  church,  vigorously  opposed  the  Au- 
gustinian  system.  Archbishop  Whateley  has  written 
a  most  powerful  argument,  and  one  which  none  have 
attempted  to  answer,  in  favor  of  the  common- sense 
view  of  church  organization.  He  also  has  given  all 
his  influence  to  the  establishment  of  schools  for  the 
people,  in  which  every  parent  and  child  shall,  as  far 
as  possible,  be  free  in  regard  to  religious  matters. 

The  beloved  and  honored  name  of  Arnold,  dear  to 
every  liberal  educator  of  every  sect  and  name,  has  set 
the  example  of  a  religious  training  that  is  based  en- 
tirely on  the  common-sense  system.  And  probably 
there  is  not  a  man  living  or  dead  whose  influence  has 
been  so  extensive  in  guiding  public  opinion  on  this 
subject.  Without  openly  denying  the  articles,  or  for- 
saking the  established  church,  Whateley,  Arnold  and 
their  associates  have  warred  on  the  Augustinian  the- 
ory and  its  offsets  more  energetically  and  effectively 
than  any  two  men  that  can  be  named. 

Thus,  it  appears,  that  the  people  themselves,  and 


THE    POSITION    OF   WOMAN,    ETC.        831 

the  chief  leaders  in  popular  education,  have  decided 
that  no  teaching  that  conflicts  with  the  system  of 
common-sense  shall  be  introduced  into  the  common 
schools. 


CHAPTER    XLIX. 

THE    POSITION  OF   WOMAN   AS    CHIEF    EDUCATOR 
OF    MIND. 

One  of  the  most  important  indices  of  religious 
change  is  the  advance  in  the  character  of  female  ed- 
ucation during  the  last  thirty  years. 

Fifty  years  ago,  to  read,  write  and  cipher,  and  a 
few  accomplishments,  were  all  that  were  attempted  in 
the  school  education  of  women.  A  little  history  and 
one  or  two  other  branches  were  added  in  some  of  the 
higher  schools. 

It  being  assumed  that  the  equal  culture  of  all  the 
faculties,  so  as  to  insure  a  well-balanced  mind,  is  the 
chief  aim  of  all  education,  it  is  probable  that  the  men- 
tal culture  of  women  in  this  country  for  the  last  thirty 
years  has  approached  nearer  to  the  true  standard  than 
was  ever  known  in  the  experience  of  any  other  nation. 

The  training  to  the  handicraft  of  the  needle,  even 
if  only  for  ornament,  the  measure  of  domestic  duty 
that  most  young  girls  learn  to  perform,  the  culture  of 
the  musical  taste  and  the  art  of  drawing,  the  combi- 
nation in  female  schools  of  mathematics,  languages 
and  general  knowledge,  and  the  immense  variety  of 
culture  from  lectures  and  general  reading,  all  have 


832  THE  PosiTioisr  of  womait 

tended  to  develop  the  female  mind  on  a  scale  of  ad- 
vancement and  equable  culture  never  before  known 

The  result  is  a  generation  of  women  well  trained 
for  high  and  independent  thought  and  action.  At  the 
same  time,  it  is  probable  that  there  never  before  was 
so  large  a  proportion  of  the  best  educated  women  who 
were  so  decidedly  conscientious  and  religious. 

It  is  granted  by  all,  that  it  is  to  woman  more  than 
to  man,  that  is  committed  the  chief  business  of  train- 
ing the  human  mind  at  its  most  important  stage  of  de- 
velopment. It  is  granted,  also,  that  in  order  to  success 
in  culture,  both  physical  and  mental,  it  is  the  first 
step  to  understand  the  nature  of  that  which  is  to  be 
trained  and  developed.  The  first  question,  then,  to 
every  woman,  in  reference  to  her  first  duty  is,  what 
is  the  nature  of  the  minds  given  us  to  train  ? 

In  this  light,  it  is  as  if  a  gardener  were  to  re- 
ceive some  rare  and  delicate  plant  with  directions 
from  his  lord  to  train  it  with  the  utmost  care ;  his  first 
inquiry  would  be.  What  is  its  nature  ?  Does  it  require 
sun  or  shade  ?  Does  it  need  a  moist  or  a  sandy  soil  ? 
Is  it  a  climber,  or  a  shrub,  or  a  tree  ?  Or,  it  is  as  if  a 
young  machinist  should  receive  from  his  master  a  col- 
lection of  wheels  and  springs,  and  a  great  variety  of 
delicate  machinery,  with  the  direction  to  put  them  to- 
gether and  adjust  them  for  right  action.  His  first  in- 
quiry would  be,  what  is  the  nature  of  the  thing  to  be 
thus  arranged?  For  what  end  or  purpose  is  it  con- 
structed ?  "What  is  the  n^ode  of  working  it  which  will 
best  accomplish  the  end  designed  ? 

In  like  manner  woman  receives  from  her  Lord  the 
delicate  physical  form  and  immortal  spirit  of  her  child 
to  train  aright  for  an  existence  never  to  end.     She 


AS    CHIEF    EDUCATOK    OF    MIND.        833 

asks  of  those  wlio  are  lier  Lord's  messengers  for  this 
very  end,  what  is  the  nature  of  this  wonderful  and  del- 
icate organization  ?  What  is  the  end  or  pur;pose  for 
which  it  is  made?  What  is  the  mode  of  training 
which  will  best  accomplish  the  end  designed  ? 

The  preceding  pages  exhibit  the  kind  of  replies  that 
for  ages  have  met  these  heart- wrenching  queries  of 
womanhood.  From  most,  it  is  shown,  she  hears  that 
the  ruined  nature  of  her  offspring  is  such  that  she  can 
do  absolutely  nothing  to  secure  any  right  develop- 
ment. Others  tell  her  that  no  one  knows  what  was 
the  end  or  purpose  for  which  the  mind  of  her  child 
was  made.  Others  tell  her  that  no  one  knows  what 
are  right  means  in  regard  to  the  training  and  action 
of  mind.  Others  tell  her  that  the  mind  of  her  child  is 
constructed  wrong,  and  that  nothing  can  be  done  to 
secure  its  right  training  and  development,  but  in  some 
way  to  induce  its  Maker  to  re-create  it. 

Meantime,  also,  her  teachers  are  in  conflict  as  to 
what  is  the  difficulty  with  the  nature  of  her  child,  and 
what  would  be  its  right  action,  and  what  is  to  be  done 
to  secure  its  right  development.  At  the  same  time, 
the  greater  portion  of  the  teachings  on  this  great  mat- 
ter are  so  enveloped  in  abstruse  theological  and  meta- 
physical technics  as  to  baffle  the  wisest  in  their  attempts 
to  gain  clear  and  definite  ideas  from  them. 

In  this  state  of  the  case  many  sensible  mothers  and 
teachers,  all  over  the  land,  have  adopted  a  course  dic- 
tated by  their  own  common  sense  and  their  experience 
of  the  nature  of  mind,  as  discovered  in  their  attempts  to 
train  it.  In  pursuing  such  a  course,  many  of  them  have 
taught  simply  the  system  of  common  sense,  leaving 
out  entirely  the  Augustinian  contradictions.     They 


834      THE    POSITION    OF    WOMAN,    ETC. 

have  in  various  forms  of  language  taught  their  little 
ones  after  this  fashion :  "  Your  heavenly  Father  made 
you  to  be  happy  and  to  make  others  happy.  In  order 
to  this,  he  wishes  that  you  should  always  have  what 
you  like  best,  except  when  it  would  injure  you  or  oth- 
ers. But  when  what  you  like  best  and  want  the  most, 
is  not  test  for  you  or  best  for  others,  you  must  always 
choose  what  is  for  the  best,  and  in  so  doing  you  act  vir- 
tuously and  please  and  obey  God.  And  just  so  far  as 
you  do  all  that  is  best  for  yourself  and  for  others,  guid- 
ed by  the  teachings  of  Christ,  and  with  the  desire  and 
purpose  to  obey  him,  you  become  a  virtuous,  pious 
and  holy  child,  and  a  true  Christian. 

In  taking  such  a  course  as  this,  many  mothers  and 
teachers  find  themselves  in  antagonism  with  the  teach- 
ings of  the  pulpit,  the  Sunday  School  and  the  great 
body  of  religious  books,  and  yet  they  persevere. 
And  sometimes  they  take  their  children  from  the 
Sunday  School  because  the  home  training  is  there  so 
directly  assailed.  And  they  would,  in  some  cases, 
keep  them  from  the  church  also,  were  not  the  theo- 
logical technics  so  effective  in  protecting  childhood 
from  all  comprehension  of  a  large  portion  of  pulpit 
teachings. 

It  is  such  intelligent,  cultivated  and  pious  mothers 
and  teachers  that  go  to  their  pastors  with  their  per- 
plexities and  troubles,  and  not  unfrequently  find  that 
tender  sympathy  which  those  only  can  give  who  have 
suffered  the  same  kind  of  distress. 


YOUNG    AMEEICA.  385 

CHAPTEE   L. 

PRESENT    POSITION   OF    YOUNG    AMERICA. 

By  the  term  "Young  America,"  as  it  is  used  at  this 
day,  seems  to  be  intended  that  class  of  youthM  minda 
who  are  striving  to  free  themselves  from  all  past  ec- 
clesiastical and  conventional  restraints,  and  who  are 
aiming  to  think  and  act  with  enti4;p  freedom  on  all 
subjects. 

The  most  active  and  efficient  of  this  class  are  those 
who  by  general  reading  and  study  have  both  strength- 
ened their  reasoning  powers  and  been  most  affected 
by  the  causes  before  described,  which  have  tended 
to  lessen  respect  for  the  church  founded  on  the  Au- 
gustinian  theory  of  such  a  depraved  nature  transmit- 
ted from  Adam,  that  all  unregenerate  doings  are  "sin, 
and  only  sin." 

These  young  minds  find  the  power  of  the  pulpit, 
the  church,  the  religious  press,  and  the  religious  train- 
ing of  the  family,  the  school  and  the  college  all  com- 
bined to  enforce  this  doctrine.  They  feel  galled  and 
indignant  at  the  chains  which  they  find  around  them ; 
and  trained  to  interpret  the  Bible  as  teaching  this  doc- 
trine and  the  system  based  on  it,  they  secretly  revolt 
from  the  authority  of  that  book.  They  feel  that  the 
ministers  and  churches  which  sustain  this  doctrine 
are  the  grand  impediments  to  freedom  of  thought 
and  opinion,  and  the  chief  fortress  of  a  system  which 
to  them  is  hateful  in  theory,  and,  in  their  view,  de- 
structive alike  to  a  true  manhood  and  a  pure  mo- 
rality. 

But  if  they  speak  out  their  feelings  they  will  be  de- 


836  PRESENT    POSITION 

nounced  as  infidels  and  avoided  as  dangerous  persons. 
What  is  more  trying  still,  tlie  mother  thej  love  so 
much  will  be  distressed,  their  father  will  be  equally 
grieved  and  perhaps  offended  with  their  self-conceit, 
and  all  their  Christian  friends  will  be  disturbed  and 
displeased. 

Under  these  conflicting  influences  there  exists  a 
constant  conflict  between  their  honest  convictions  and 
desire  for  truth  and  independent  action,  and  their  gen- 
tle and  generous  impulses.  This  is  the  condition  of 
multitudes  of  young  minds,  who  to  please  a  mother, 
a  father,  a  sister  or  a  friend,  attend  church  and  listen  in 
silence  to  much  that  they  do  not  believe  and  to  some 
things  which  they  abhor.  Others  quietly  withdraw 
from  all  religious  ministries,  on  the  plea  that  Sunday 
is  more  profitably  spent  by  them  in  quiet  strolls  or 
reading  at  home,  while  the  real  trouble,  secretly  burn- 
ing in  their  hearts,  is  scarcely  breathed  aloud. 

Of  this  class  of  minds  not  a  few  are  found  in  our 
theological  seminaries.  And  here  they  encounter  new 
difficulties.  As  the  system  of  Augustinianism  is  de- 
veloped as  the  basis  of  their  professional  training, 
they  attempt  to  meet  it  with  some  discussion.  In  this 
they  find  little  or  no  encouragement.  Free  discussion 
seems  to  be  deemed  inadmissible,  and  those  who  urge 
it  find  themselves  in  an  uncomfortable  minority,  who 
are  regarded  rather  as  agitators  than  as  manly  and  in- 
dependent seekers  after  truth. 

But  the  most  powerful  influence  on  the  most  influ- 
ential class  of  "  Young  America,"  as  highest  in  intel- 
lectual and  moral  development,  has  been  the  practical 
working  of  two  false  principles. 

The  first  of  these  is,  that  organizations  to  promote 


OF    YOUNG    AMEKICA.  337 

truth  and  righteousness  are  of  more  consequence  than 
truth  and  righteousness.  Thus,  to  a  Catholic,  the  rep- 
utation and  interests  of  the  church — that  is,  the  clergy 
— are  to  be  regarded  first,  so  that  its  pope  and  priest- 
hood are  to  be  shielded  from  the  public  exposure  of 
whatever  crimes  they  may  commit,  lest  the  influence 
of  the  church  should  suffer.  Thus,  in  Protestant  ec- 
clesiastical organizations,  the  sins  of  their  chief  leaders 
are  sometimes  covered  and  palliated,  lest  their  church 
and  order  be  discredited.  Thus  the  college  faculty 
are  sometimes  sustained  by  parents  or  the  public  in 
unjust  proceedings,  lest  the  respect  and  confidence  of 
the  pupils  or  the  public  toward  them  should  be  im- 
paired. Thus,  also,  the  officers  of  benevolent  asso- 
ciations are  tolerated  and  shielded  from  odium  for 
conduct  that  should  receive  universal  disapprobation. 
In  such  cases,  the  end  is  made  secondary  to  the  means 
— the  instrumentalities  to  promote  virtue  receive  more 
regard  than  virtue  itself.  This,  among  "fishers  of 
men,"  is  making  taking  the  fish  secondary  to  the  care 
of  the  net. 

The  other  false  principle  is,  that  men  are  to  be  re- 
strained from  protesting  against  wrong,  in  cases  where 
it  would  make  great  trouble  and  difficulty  to  individ- 
uals or  to  communities  involved  in  it. 

That  men  are  to  use  discretion  and  consult  expedi- 
ency as  to  the  time  and  manner  of  exposing  and  de- 
nouncing wrong,  is  one  of  the  teachings  of  common 
sense.  But  that  men  are  to  protest  against  wrong 
only  when  it  makes  little  or  no  trouble  to  any  one, 
and  be  silent  when  contention  and  trouble  would  re- 
sult from  such  protesting,  is  a  principle  that  would 
have  inhibited  the  spread  of  Christianity  by  the  apos- 


BS8 

ties,  of  the  Keformation  by  Luther,  and  of  every  other 
great  reform. 

The  extent  to  which  wise  and  good  men  have  adopt- 
ed and  acted  on  these  false  principles  has  probably 
done  more  to  undermine  faith  in  the  Bible  and  the 
church  than  all  other  causes  united. 

The  tendency  has  been  to  generate  the  feeling  that 
the  great  organizations  based  on  the  Bible  and  aiming 
to  extend  its  authority,  are  really  little  better  than 
associations  to  sustain  the  power  and  the  influence  of 
a  certain  privileged  class,  at  the  sacrifice  of  not  only 
truth  and  righteousness,  but  of  manly  freedom  of 
thought  and  speech. 

The  extent  of  real  infidelity,  not  only  in  our  colleges, 
but  among  the  young  mechanics  of  our  shops  and  man- 
ufactories, the  young  farmers  in  our  fields,  the  clerks  in 
our  offices  and  stores,  and  Young  America  all  over  the 
nation,  is  little  imagined  by  those,  who,  on  the  field  of 
conservatism,  are  striving  to  repress  free  discussion. 
There  are  seething  and  glowing  fires  gathering  for 
vent,  which  such  attempts  are  as  vain  to  restrain  as  are 
bands  of  cobwebs  to  confine  an  outbursting  volcano. 

In  speaking  thus  confidently  of  the  present  position 
of  woman  and  Of  "Young  America,"  it  seems  proper 
to  notice  the  opportunities  that  have  been  furnished 
to  attain  some  knowledge  in  this  direction. 

During  twelve  years  of  service  as  principal  of  insti- 
tutions at  the  East  and  West,  in  which  nearly  a  thou- 
sand young  girls  from  the  most  influential  classes  and 
from  nearly  every  State  in  the  Union  have  been  under 
her  training,  the  writer  gained  no  little  insight  into 
the  varied  experiences  of  the  young.  Later  in  life,  ill 
health  and  other  causes  led  to  frequent  reunions  with 


THE    RELIGIOUS    PRESS.  839 

former  piipils  all  over  the  land,  who  as  mothers,  wives 
and  sisters  sought  sympathy  and  counsel.  Thus  was 
gained  the  private  history  and  the  personal  acquaint- 
ance of  their  husbands,  brothers  and  sons,  in  many 
professions  and  in  various  colleges. 

In  many  cases  the  sons  would  disclose  to  a  candid 
and  sympathizing  friend  mental  experiences  and  his- 
tories of  themselves  and  their  companions,  which, 
from  motives  of  tenderness,  were  hidden  even  from 
the  most  kind  and  judicious  parents.  The  af&liated 
societies  that  bring  the  most  influential  young  men  of 
different  colleges  together,  their  meetings  for  anni- 
versary and  club  reunions,  have  generated  a  common 
pulse,  as  it  were,  through  the  great  body  of  the  most 
highly  educated  and  most  influential  young  men  in 
the  land ;  so  that  learning  what  affects  a  small  portion 
teaches  also  what  affects  the  whole. 

These  intimations  indicate  but  a  small  portion  of 
the  opportunities  which  have  led  to  the  opinions  ex- 
pressed in  this  and  the  preceding  chapter. 


CHAPTEK    LI. 

PRESENT    POSITION    OF    THE    RELIGIOUS  PRESS. 

To  any  one  who  examines  the  religious  press  of  the 
different  sects  of  the  present  time,  it  is  clear  that  there 
never  was  a  period  in  which  the  ecclesiasticism  founded 
on  the  Augustinian  theory  was  more  a  leading  object 
of  effort.  At  the  time  that  the  Bible  Society  and  other 
benevolent  religious  associations  originated,  the  tend- 


340  PEESENT    POSITION 

ency  of  the  different  sects  was  to  a  harmonious  union 
for  the  great  end  of  sending  the  gospel  to  the  desti- 
tute. At  that  time,  questions  in  relation  to  the  modes 
of  ordination  and  baptism,  and  as  to  church  officers, 
seemed  to  vanish  as  matters  of  small  concern  to  all 
whose  chief  aim  was  to  save  the  lost.  But  now  the 
reverse  tendency  is  manifest.  Every  sect  is  engaged 
in  magnifying  the  importance  of  its  own  distinctive 
peculiarity,  in  getting  up  publishing  houses  to  dissem- 
inate its  own  peculiar  modes  of  religious  teaching,  in 
raising  funds  to  build  churches,  and  in  building  up  its 
own  distinctive  schools  and  colleges.  And  this  is 
done  not  so  much,  as  it  would  seem,  because  the  sal- 
vation of  Ignorant  and  guilty  men  depends  on  these 
sectarian  peculiarities,  as  because  the  extent,  respecta- 
bility and  influence  of  a  sect  will  be  thus  promot- 
ed. Every  editor  of  every  religious  paper,  therefore, 
is  a  chief  leader  in  an  effort  to  build  up  a  sect,  which 
as  before  shown,  originates  from  the  Augustinian 
dogma. 

It  is  an  established  maxim  in  law  and  all  admin- 
istration of  justice,  that  where  a  man's  property, 
character,  and  professional  success  are  involved,  he  is 
barred  from  testimony  as  an  incompetent  witness. 
And  it  is  deemed  no  disparagement  to  the  most  hon- 
orable and  high-minded  men  in  the  community  to  be 
dealt  with  on  the  assumption  that  such  personal  inter- 
ests so  bias  men's  judgment  that  they  can  not  be  trusted. 

Now  it  will  not  be  denied  by  any  one,  that  our  re- 
ligious periodicals  are  all  supported  by  the  differing 
sects  with  the  express  understanding  that  each  shall 
advocate  the  views  of  the  sect  that  especially  patron- 
izes it.    And  should  any  editor  become  convinced  that 


OF    THE    RELIGIOUS    PRESS.  841 

the  opinions  lie  was  appointed  to  advocate  are  false,  tie 
could  not  honorably  retain  his  office  without  declanDg 
his  change  of  opinion,  and  this  declaration  would  in- 
evitably result  in  the  loss  of  his  professional  charac- 
ter and  income  among  his  friends  and  supporters. 

For  example,  if  the  editor  of  the  Independent  were 
to  become  convinced  that  churches  organized  on  the 
Congregational  mode  were  unscriptural,  and  should 
attempt  to  defend  such  a  view,  he  would  either  resign 
his  post  or  be  removed  from  it.  The  same  would 
be  true  in  regard  to  the  editors  of  the  Presbyterian, 
Episcopal,  Baptist  and  Methodist  religious  magazines 
and  newspapers. 

So  in  regard  to  the  professors  of  our  theological 
schools,  who  are  the  chief  supporters  of  theological 
magazines.  They  must  all  teach  the  Augustinian 
dogma  of  a  depraved  nature  transmitted  from  Adam 
to  all  his  descendants,  or  resign  their  professional  rep- 
utation, their  office  and  its  income. 

These  being  facts,  it  may  properly  be  affirmed  that 
the  religious  press  in  this  country  is  barred  from  the 
full  and  free  discussion  of  the  great  question  of  eternal 
life,  "  "What  must  we  do  to  be  saved  ?" 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  indications  of  this  fact 
is  the  course  pursued  by  the  leading  religious  periodi- 
cals of  each  sect  in  noticing  the  work  before  referred 
to,  Common  Sense  applied  to  Religion^  or  the  Bible  and 
the  People,  In  that  work,  and  in  an  article  in  the  In- 
dependent, as  well  as  by  private  letters,  an  appeal  was 
made  to  their  editors,  who,  many  of  them,  are  personal 
friends  of  the  writer,  to  instruct  her  and  to  instruct  the 
public  wherein  there  was  any  failure  in  that  work, 
either  m  setting  forth  truly  the  principles  of  common 


842  PRESENT    POSITION 

sense  and  the  rules  of  interpretation,  or  in  deducing 
bj  these  principles  the  system  of  common  sense,  or  in 
proving  that  the  Augustinian  dogma  and  the  system 
founded  on  it  were  contrary  to  the  common  sense  and 
the  moral  sense  of  mankind,  and  unsupported  by  the 
Bible. 

As  these  editors  are  not  only  honorable  and  Chris- 
tian gentlemen,  but  among  the  most  acute  and  pro- 
found metaphysicians  in  the  world,  it  would  be  the 
height  of  ill  manners  to  assume  that,  discerning  any 
failures,  they  refused  to  specify  them,  either  in  pri- 
vate or  in  public,  except  for  the  reasons  intimated. 
lN"o  editor  whose  periodical  is  supported  by  a  sect  for 
the  express  purpose  of  maintaining  its  distinctive  pe- 
culiarities, could  indorse  that  work  as  correct  in  its 
statements  and  arguments  without  giving  up  the  basis 
on  which  the  existence  of  that  sect  depends  which  sup- 
ports his  periodical. 

In  these  circumstances  the  editors  of  the  Independ- 
ent fairly  and  openly  avowed  that  they  could  not  open 
their  columns  to  ''a  psychological  and  theological  dis- 
cussion" of  this  sort.  And  every  editor  of  every  other 
religious  periodical  tacitly  made  the  same  declaration 
by  entire  silence  on  the  main  subject  of  the  volume — 
the  very  principles,  involving  the  existence  of  the  sect 
for  whose  defense  they  were  appointed. 

So  manifest  was  this  position  of  these  leaders  of 
the  theological  world,  that  the  most  intelligent  and 
best  informed  publishers  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
whatever  else  theologians  differed  about,  they  were 
all  united  in  the  determination  that  such  a  discus- 
sion of  these  points  as  was  sought  by  the  author 
should  not  be  permitted.    And  evea  the  editors  of  the 


OF     THE    SECULAR    PRESS.  343 

secular  press  were  urged  not  to  allow  their  columns  to 
be  used  for  such  purposes. 


CHAPTER    LII. 

THE  PRESENT    POSITION    OF    THE    SECULAR  PRESS. 

The  most  decided  index  of  the  coming  agency  of 
the  people,  in  throwing  off  the  Augustinian  system,  is 
the  present  position  of  the  secular  press. 

It  has  been  shown  how  much  the  religious  press  is 
restrained  in  liberty  of  opinion  and  expression,  so 
that  it  is  probable  that  there  is  not  a  professedly  re- 
ligious paper  in  the  nation  that  could  controvert  the 
distinctive  doctrines  of  the  sect  that  patronizes  it  with- 
out losing  its  character  and  income. 

But  the  secular  press  is  far  less  encumbered  with 
such  difficulties.  The  progress  of  this  great  power 
toward  the  discussion  of  such  subjects  has  been  very 
striking.  At  first  there  began  to  be  seen  simple  re- 
ports of  the  religious  anniversaries  in  some  secular 
papers.  This  proving  popular,  next  there  came  no- 
tices of  missionary  and  benevolent  operations.  Then 
notices  of  the  sermons  of  distinguished  clergymen  were 
given,  and  then  whole  columns  of  daily  papers  were  oc- 
cupied with  sermons  from  ministers,  without  regard  to 
denomination.  Finally,  the  great  "  revival"  became  a 
topic  of  the  secular  press.  Reports  of  religious  meet- 
ings, the  number  who  were  counted  as  converts,  and 
aU  the  details  connected  with  this  great  popular  move- 
ment were  chronicled  in  the  secular  almost  as  fully 
as  in  the  religious  press. 

The  comments  of  editors,  also,  on  this  subject,  were 


344  THE    SECULAR    PRESS. 

usually  respectful,  candid,  and  in  many  cases  very 
able  and  discriminating.  The  result  has  been,  that 
inasmuch  as  the  religious  press  circulates  chiefly 
among  "the  church"  and  the  secular  press  among 
'*  the  world,"  the  gospel  has  been  preached  to  sinners 
far  more  by  secular  than  by  religious  editors.  And 
it  may  be  assumed  as  a  fact,  that  the  secular  editors 
of  this  nation  have  far  more  power  and  influence  in 
guiding  the  religious  opinions  and  moral  conduct  of 
"the  world"  than  either  the  clergy  or  the  religious 
press,  and  probably  more  than  both  combined. 

In  this  state  of  the  case,  all  the  interests  of  the  re- 
ligious press  are  opposed  to  free  investigation  and  dis- 
cussion, and  all  the  intersts  of  the  secular  press  are  as 
powerfully  interested  to  promote  it. 

In  appealing,  therefore,  from  the  theological  world 
to  "  the  people,"  it  is  the  editors  of  the  secular  press 
— ^the  true  "  Tribunes  of  the  people" — who  will  ren- 
der the  verdict,  and  this  verdict  is  awaited  with  very 
little  doubt  or  apprehension  in  regard  to  its  nature. 

The  questions  submitted  for  decision  are  not  so 
comprehensive  as  those  of  the  volume  referred  to  in 
which  theologians  chiefly  were  invoked,  and  which 
they  have  as  yet  declined  to  answer.  The  questions 
submitted  to  the  ^people  are  briefly  these :  Does  com- 
mon sense,  or  does  the  Bible  teach  that  every  human 
being  possesses  such  a  depraved  nature  as  never  to 
perform  any  truly  virtuous  act  until  this  nature  is  re- 
created by  Grod  ?  and  are  the  churches  organized  on 
the  assumption  that  its  members  are  diverse  from  the 
world,  in  that  they,  as  regenerated  persons,  perform 
virtuous  acts  as  no  unregenerated  person  ever  does, 
sanctioned  by  common  sense  or  by  the  Bible  ? 


WHAT   THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO?        84t5 

OHAPTEE   LIII. 

WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO? 

IT  has  been  shown  that  the  Angustinian  dogma  of 
a  depraved  nature  is  the  foundation  of  all  the  large 
sectarian  organizations  in  this  country,  and  of  the 
contentions,  evil  passions  and  waste  of  property  re- 
sulting from  such  divisions  among  Christians. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  leading  theologians 
have  ceased  to  defend  this  dogma,  that  the  pastors 
of  churches  are  practically  evading  it,  that  the  edu- 
cators of  the  young  are  throwing  it  aside,  and  that  the 
people  in  all  directions  are  rejecting  it. 

This  process  of  eliminating  the  Augustinian  sys- 
tem from  the  system  of  common  sense  and  the  Bible, 
with  which,  for  ages,  it  has  been  entwined,  thus  far 
has  gone  on  as  the  result  chiefly  of  the  development 
of  the  intellectual  and  moral  nature  of  all  classes,  but 
especially  of  the  common  people,  A  period  has  now 
arrived  in  which  the  question  has  become  so  far  an 
intelligible  and  a  practical  one,  that  the  two  great 
principles  of  society  indicated  by  the  words  conserva- 
tism and  progress  are  arranging  and  accumulating  an- 
tagonistic forces  for  an  open  and  decided  manifesta- 
tion on  this  great  question.  What  will  be  the  precise 
nature  of  this  manifestation  no  human  mind  can  pre- 
dict. But  the  distinctive  principles  of  the  two  parties 
furnish  some  data  for  anticipating  some  future  results, 
as  they  may  occur  in  the  several  classes  referred  to 
in  preceding  chapters  under  the  following  heads : 

15* 


346        WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO? 

What  Theologians  will  do  f 

In  attempting  to  indicate  the  probable  future  course 
of  tbeologians,  it  is  important  to  notice  the  relative 
positions  of  persons  trained  to  sustain  a  system  of  doc- 
trines, and  of  those  who  seek  for  truth  and  duty  with- 
out any  such  commitment. 

Most  theologians  grow  up  from  infancy  under  a 
system  of  doctrines  inculcated  both  from  the  pulpit 
and  in  the  family.  This  enlists  all  the  strong  and 
inveterate  influences  of  early  education  in  its  favor. 
Next,  the  collegiate  pulpit  instructions  and  associa- 
tions all  favor  the  same  system.  Next,  the  theolog- 
ical school  brings  the  young  under  the  direct  training 
of  the  most  acute  minds,  whose  express  business  it  is 
to  teach  all  methods  of  supporting  and  defending  that 
system.  Here  the  young  minister  is  taught  how  to 
construct  his  sermons  so  as  most  effectually  to  bring 
the  popular  mind  under  its  control,  and  so  as  to  most 
effectively  oppose  all  antagonistic  sects  and  teachings. 

Finally,  the  office  of  a  clergyman  involves  such  ec- 
clesiastical relations  as  subjects  a  man  to  constant  es- 
pionage, and  to  ecclesiastical  discipline  and  ejection  if 
he  adopts  any  views  that  would  essentially  modify  the 
system  in  which  he  is  trained. 

If,  therefore,  any  theologian  or  pastor  finds  himself 
doubting  as  to  any  doctrine,  he  perceives  that  it  is  so 
interlocked  with  the  system  of  which  it  is  a  part  that 
he  is  at  once  brought  face  to  face  with  the  question. 
Shall  I  give  up  the  whole  system  in  which  I  was  edu- 
cated, all  the  lectures  and  sermons  framed  on  that  sys- 
tem, all  my  ecclesiastical  connections,  my  professional 
character  and  my  salary  ? 


WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO?        347 

It  is  as  if  a  man  should  find  himself  in  some  emer- 
gency upholding  by  a  single  timber  a  portion  of  a 
building  which  so  interlocks  with  every  other  portion 
that  he  can  not  let  it  go  without  throwing  down  the 
only  house  that  can  shelter  himself  and  all  he  holds 
dear.  In  such  a  case  a  man  must  come  to  a  decision 
as  to  whether  the  piece  of  timber  ought  to  be  removed, 
and  when  and  how  it  should  be  done,  with  an  anxiety, 
deliberation  and  forecast  that  would  be  inappropriate 
to  a  man  who  finds  only  a  disconnected  stick  of  timber 
in  his  way.  This  illustrates  the  relative  position  and 
difficulties  of  theologians  in  contrast  with  those  which 
impede  the  common  people  in  the  search  after  truth 
and  duty. 

In  this  view  of  the  case  it  would  be  unreasonable 
to  expect  that  theologians  as  a  class,  though  among 
the  wisest  and  best  of  men,  are  to  be  leaders  in  any 
great  or  sudden  change  in  religious  opinions.  On  the 
contrary,  it  is  to  be  anticipated  that  they  will  be  the 
most  earnest,  energetic,  aud  at  the  same  time  honest, 
defenders  of  time-honored  religious  dogmas,  which  it 
is  their  professional  business  to  uphold.  Nor  is  it  any 
implication  of  their  talents,  learning,  honesty  or  piety 
to  suppose  that  they  will  be  among  the  last  to  per- 
ceive the  fallacies  and  evils  involved  in  whatever  5^5- 
Urn  they  defend. 

Yet  there  are  considerations  which  indicate  that  the 
experience  of  the  past  is  not  to  be  the  exact  image  of 
the  future.  The  progress  of  mind  is  as  distinctly 
marked  among  theologians  as  it  is  among  any  class 
of  society,  and  this  being  toward  the  system  of  com- 
mon sense,  involves  the  waning  of  the  dogmatic  spirit 
of  infallibility  and  the  increase  of  that  humble  and 


34:8    WHAT  THE  PEOPLE  WILL  DO? 

teachable  spirit,  which  is  alike  the  mark  of  true  phi- 
losophy and  of  Christianity. 

In  the  infantile  development  of  our  race  mere  phys- 
ical prowess  was  deemed  the  chief  virtue  and  was  the 
grand  aim  of  all  manly  culture. 

In  the  next  higher  stage  of  development  intellectual 
powe7'  became  the  object  of  highest  veneration  and 
assiduous  cultivation. 

The  advent  of  a  still  higher  stage  of  development 
is  now  dawning,  which  is  best  illustrated  by  the  do- 
cile spirit  of  a  little  child,  which  feels  exalted  by  tak- 
ing a  low  place,  which  understands  that  true  dignity 
and  magnanimity  consists,  not  in  assumed  infallibility, 
but  in  a  modest  and  humble  acknowledgment  of  igno- 
rance, of  mistakes,  and  of  the  need  of  knowledge  and 
guidance,  not  only  from  God  but  from  men. 

It  is  believed  that  it  is  not  too  much  to  expect  that 
this  stage  of  high,  development  is  to  be  found  even 
among  that  class  most  unfavorably  placed  for  the  at- 
tainment of  it. 

Should  this  be  the  case,  there  will  soon  be  the  con- 
servative and  the  progressive  parties  among  theologians ; 
the  one  holding  on  to  both  of  the  contradictory  sys- 
tems, and  maintaining  their  infallibility;  the  other, 
openly  cutting  loose  from  all  that  conflicts  with  their 
common  sense  and  moral  sense,  will  manfully  and 
honestly  confess  their  fallibility  and  past  mistakes. 

Between  these  two  parties  will  be  a  third  class,  who 
either  from  policy  or  from  timidity,  or  from  inability 
to  form  decided  opinions,  will  maintain  entire  silence 
as  to  any  thing  involving  entire  commitment  to  either 
party. 


WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO?  849 

What  the  Pastors  will  do  f 

The  pastors  of  the  people  are  that  class  in  which 
the  division  of  conservatism  and  progress  must  most 
immediately  and  most  distinctly  appear.  And  the 
reason  is,  that  the  question  to  them  is  a  practical  one, 
more  so  than  it  can  be  to  any  other  class  of  men. 

It  is  their  business  and  calling  to  teach  men  what 
they  must  do  to  be  saved,  and  every  week  they  must 
appear  before  the  public  to  give  their  opinions  on  this 
very  question. 

In  this  situation,  the  conservative  class  will  include 
all  who  have  taken  the  opinions  of  their  theological 
teachers  as  an  act  of  memory,  with  very  little  orig- 
inal thought  or  investigation.  These,  being  helpless 
as  to  any  ability  to  investigate  or  to  reason  independ- 
ently, will  continue  to  preach  and  teach  in  the  same 
round  as  was  given  them  in  their  course  of  theolog- 
ical study.  Such  will  be  alarmed  and  distressed  at 
the  changes  in  opinion  all  around  them,  and  wiU 
mourn  over  them  as  departures  from  the  good  old 
paths  of  truth  and  safety.  Such  will  be  sustained 
chiefly  by  the  old  and  conservative  portion  of  their 
parishes,  while  the  most  active  minds,  both  young  and 
old,  will  become  more  and  more  restless  and  dissatis- 
fied, or  forsake  entirely  such  ministrations. 

In  the  progressive  class  of  pastors,  there  will  be  a 
marked  division.  The  first  will  include  those  who 
have  clear  and  decided  perceptions  of  truth  and  duty, 
and  at  the  same  time  a  full  conviction  that  outspoken 
frankness  and  honesty  is  not  only  a  duty,  but  the  best 
policy. 

Thus,  when  they  find  their  minds  perplexed  and 


850         WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO? 

doubtfal  as  to  the  system  in  wliich  they  have  been 
trained,  they  will,  if  called  to  speak,  frankly  say  so. 
If  they  advance  to  a  new  position,  and  yet  are  not 
clear  in  regard  to  certain  connected  topics,  they  will 
say  so.  If  they  are  clear  that  the  system  of  Augustine 
is  false,  root  and  branch,  they  wiU  say  so,  and  carry 
out  all  the  results  involved  in  this  position.  In  short, 
they  will  go  forward  in  a  perfect  faith  in  truth,  hon- 
esty and  freedom  of  speech. 

Nor  will  they  consult  "expediency,"  except  as  to 
the  time  and  the  manner  of  making  known  their 
change  of  opinioD, 
.  The  other  portion  will  adopt  the  policy  which  as- 
sumes that  peace  and  quiet  in  holding  error  is  more 
important  than  truth  which  involves  trouble  and  con- 
tention. Such  will  conceal  their  real  opinions  under 
forms  of  expression  that  will  deceive  the  conservative 
portion  of  their  people,  by  making  the  impression  that 
they  hold  to  old  creeds  and  formularies,  in  the  sense 
in  which  they  formerly  did,  when  they  do  not.  They 
will  use  the  stereotyped  forms  of  orthodoxy,  knowing 
that  those  of  their  people  who  are  alarmed  at  sup- 
posed changes,  will  be  quieted  by  impressions  which 
are  false.  And  they  will  do  this,  believing  it  to  be 
Christian  expediency,  although  it  is  a  course  exactly 
opposite  to  that  pursued  by  Christ  and  his  disciples. 

What  the  Church  will  do  f 

In  regard  to  church  organizations,  it  has  been  shown 
that  there  are  two  diverse  principles  on  which  these 
organizations  may  be  perpetuated.  The  first  is  the 
Augustinian,  in  which  the  principle  of  union  is  a 
supposed  change  of  the  nature  transmitted  from  Ad- 


WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO?         851 

am,  enabling  a  man  to  perform  truly  virtuous  acts,  as 
none  ever  do  wlio  are  not  thus  re-created.  The  sec- 
ond is  that  of  common  sense,  in  which  the  principle 
of  union  is  the  acknowledgment  of  Jesus  Christ  as 
Lord  and  Master,  and  the  purpose  to  obey  him  in  all 
things ;  or,  in  the  words  of  the  Episcopal  formula, 
"  a  church  is  a  congregation  of  faithful  men,  in  which 
the  pure  word  is  preached  and  the  sacraments  duly 
administered  according  to  Christ's  ordinances."  This 
definition,  in  order  to  represent  the  common-sense 
vieW;  assumes  that  "  faithful  men"  are  persons  who 
believe  in  Christ's  authority,  as  the  Lord  of  all,  and 
who  purpose  to  obey  him. 

It  has  been  also  shown,  in  a  previous  chapter,  that 
the  church  organizations  based  on  the  Augustinian 
theory,  are  gradually  modifying  their  practice  so  as 
more  and  more  to  recognize  the  coromon-sense  prin- 
ciple. 

It  is  believed  that  this  process  of  quiet  change  is  to 
be  greatly  accelerated  by  discussion.  The  people  are 
not  aware  that  the  mode  of  church  organization  and 
discipline  now  most  prevalent  is  an  innovation^  which 
has  existed  less  than  two  centuries,  and  chiefly  in  this 
country,  and  that  there  can  be  found  no  authority  for 
it,  either  in  the  Bible  or  church  history.  The  word 
*■'  church,"  as  used  in  the  New  Testament,  in  the  orig- 
inal Greek  means  congregation,  and  includes  all  who 
unite  in  one  assembly  to  worship. 

JSTo  case  can  be  found  in  the  Bible  of  any  such 
organization  as  corresponds  with  that  which  is  now 
called  by  the  name  of  "  church,"  as  distinct  from  the 
"  congregation." 

These  being  facts,  the  whole  matter  of  church  or- 


352         WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO? 

ganization  and  discipline  is  soon  to  become  a  matter 
of  general  discussion,  tlie  result  of  wliich,  of  course, 
can  not  be  predicted  in  any  details.  But  it  is  certain 
tbat  the  more  discussion  there  is,  tlie  more  the  com- 
mon-sense system  will  become  dominant.  And  it  is 
certain  that  the  portion  of  the  people  connected  with 
churches  will  more  and  more  demand  discussion.  They 
will  assume  that  their  pastors  are  not  to  be  their  au- 
thoritative, dogmatic  teachers ;  but  their  leaders  in 
worship  and  ordinances;  their  presiding  officers  in 
discussions,  and  the  administers  of  much  of  that  kind 
of  knowledge  needed  by  the  people,  to  enable  them 
to  act  independently  in  interpreting  the  Bible  for 
themselves. 

What  Women  will  do  ? 

The  great  principle  of  Protestantism,  in  distinction 
from  Catholicism,  is,  that  every  person  is  to  be  an  in- 
dependent interpreter  of  the  Bible,  responsible  to  no 
man  or  body  of  men ;  and  that  every  person  is  to 
jprotesi  against  all  that  conflicts  with  this  right. 

This  principle  carried  out  consistently,  makes  the- 
ologians and  pastors  a  class  sustained  by  the  people, 
not  as  dogmatic  teachers  of  their  own  opinions,  but 
as  persons  set  apart  for  the  purpose  of  gaining  and  of 
communicating  to  the  people  all  the  knowledge  need- 
ful to  fit  them  to  use  their  rights  as  authorized  inter- 
preters  of  the  Bible. 

But  though  all  Protestants  hold  this  principle  the- 
oretically, by  far  the  larger  portion  have  never  prac- 
tically adopted  it,  but,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  go  to  theo- 
logians and  pastors  for  their  opinions^  and  not  for  the 
Imowledge  on  which  opinions  are  to  rest.     Thus  it  is 


WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO?  353 

that  ecclesiastics  control  tlie  faith  of  a  large  portion 
of  the  Protestant  churches,  as  authoritatively  as  do 
the  pope  and  priests  control  that  of  the  Cathohc 
church. 

"We  have  seen,  in  the  case  of  Isabella  of  Spain,  one 
of  the  most  benevolent,  conscientious  and  lovely  of 
women  led  on  to  the  most  unjust  and  cruel  deeds, 
simply  from  practically  adopting  the  principle,  that 
her  religious  teachers  must  be  authoritative  guides  of 
her  opinions,  and  that  her  own  common  sense  and 
moral  sense  must  bow  to  ecclesiastical  dictation. 

The  present  time  is  one  in  which  the  women  of  this 
country  must  decide  in  regard  to  this  same  principle 
and  on  practical  questions  of  the  deepest  moment. 

It  has  been  shown,  that  with  small  exceptions,  the 
Catholic  and  Protestant  theologians  and  clergy  unite 
in  teaching  a  depravity  of  nature  in  every  human  be- 
ing, involving  these  questions : 

Are  we  so  depraved  as  to  be  incapacitated  to  inter- 
pret the  Bible,  and  made  dependent  on  ecclesiastical 
and  regenerated  persons  to  interpret  for  us  ? 

Does  the  invisible  true  church  consist  only  of  those 
whose  nature  has  been  re-created,  or  of  those  who, 
without  any  newly-created  nature,  truly  desire  and 
purpose  to  u^e  all  their  natural  powers  according  to 
the  teachings  of  Christ  ? 

Does  a  ^^  visible  church  of  Christ^''  consist  of  persons 
possessing  a  newly-created  nature,  by  which  alone  any 
truly  virtuous  acts  can  be  performed,  or  does  it  con- 
sist of  persons  who  unite  to  sustain  the  public  wor- 
ship, ordinances  and  teachings  of  Jesus  Christ  ? 

Are  children  to  be  trained  to  believe  that  all  their 
feelings  and  actions  are  "  sin  and  only  sin,"  till  they 


854         WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO? 

receive  a  new  nature  from  God,  or  be  tauglit  tliat 
wlienever  they  choose  what  is  right^  with  the  in- 
tention to  do  right,  thej  act  virtuously  and  please 
God? 

Are  children  to  be  allowed  to  come  to  the  table  of 
their  Lord  and  Saviour  as  soon  as  they  can  under- 
stand the  nature  of  the  ordinance,  and  wish  and  in- 
tend to  obey  Jesus  Christ  in  all  things,  or  are  they  to 
be  excluded  until  church  of&cers  decide  whether  the 
signs  of  a  new  nature  are  to  be  found  ? 

Are  women  and.  children  to  be  excluded  from  the 
Lord's  table  because  they  interpret  the  Bible  diversely 
from  the  church  with  which  they  worship  ? 

These  are  the  practical  questions  involved  in  the 
doctrine  of  the  depraved  nature  of  man,  as  taught  by 
the  clergy  of  the  great  Christian  sects. 

It  has  been  stated  that  many  intelligent  and  pious 
women  in  various  parts  of  our  country  have  already 
quietly  assumed  their  rights  as  authorized  interpreters 
of  the  Bible  on  all  these  questions,  have  cast  off  the 
Augustinian  theory,  and  thus,  in  fact,  have  set  them- 
selves in  opposition  to  the  clergy,  except  so  far  as  the 
clergy  themselves  have  come  to  the  same  results.  The 
writer,  in  this  work,  has  done  little  more  than  has  also 
been  done  by  many  pious  and  intelligent  mothers  and 
teachers,  except  to  define,  methodize  and  publicly  ex- 
press opinions  which  other  women  have  jpractically 
adopted  in  training  children,  as  the  result  of  their 
own  experience,  common  sense  and  study  of  the 
Bible. 

Some  of  the  leading  organs  of  the  High  Church 
party  in  the  Episcopal  church,  and  thus  the  most 
strenuous  defenders  of  ecclesiastical  infallibility  and 


WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO?         355 

autliority,  in  noticing  tlie  writer's  volume,  Common 
Sense  Applied  to  Beligion,  previously  referred  to,  ask 
with  naive  simplicity,  what  right  has  a  woman  to  ap- 
ply common  sense  to  religion,  or  to  have  any  opinions 
except  as  she  is  taught  them  by  the  church,  at  the 
same  time  sneering  at  the  idea,  that  "  the  dear  peo- 
ple" are  competent  to  understand  and  interpret  the 
Bible  for  themselves. 

This  shows  that  the  issue  is  now  fairly  presented  and 
■understood.  The  ecclesiastical  party,  more  or  less, 
openly  claim  that  the  only  authorized  interpreters  of 
the  Bible  are  the  ordained  priesthood,  or  the  regen- 
erated church.  On  the  other  hand,  the  people,  and 
women,  as  that  half  of  the  people  to  whom  the  train- 
ing of  the  human  mind  is  especially  committed,  main- 
tain that  they  are  ordained  to  this  ofSce  by  a  Higher 
Power  and  by  the  imposition  of  a  nobler  hand  than 
any  who  boast  an  uninterrupted  apostolical  succes- 
sion. 

Moreover,  it  is  claimed  that  every  well-educated, 
pious  woman  of  good  common  sense,  who  has  trained 
young  children,  is  letter  qualified  to  interpret  the  Bible 
correctly,  on  all  points  pertaining  to  such  practical  du- 
ties, than  most  theologians  possibly  can  be.  And  the 
reasons  are,  that  she  is  free  from  those  biasing  difS.- 
culties  which  have  been  pointed  out  as  embarrassing 
theologians,  while  all  her  employments  and  all  her 
culture  eminently  tend  to  aid  rather  than  to  embarrass 
her  judgment  on  such  subjects. 

Add,  also,  that  the  Bible  was  written  for  common 
people,  and  not  for  metaphysicians,  and  in  the  lan- 
guage of  common  life,  and  not  in  theological  terms, 
and  that  if  it  teaches  the  system  of  common  sense,  it  is . 


356         WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO? 

better  fitted  to  the  apprehension  of  those  whose  train- 
ing has  been  practical  rather  than  scholastic. 

Finally,  the  promises  of  aid  from  the  Author  of 
the  Bible,  is  to  the  meek  and  lowly  of  heart.  "  The 
meek  will  he  guide  in  judgment ;  the  meeh  will  he 
teach  his  way."  That  the  position  of  those  accus- 
tomed to  rule  and  teach  is  as  favorable  to  the  cultiva- 
tion of  a  meek,  humble  and  teachable  spirit  as  that  of 
those  trained  to  learn  and  to  obey,  few  will  maintain. 

These  facts  being  so,  it  is  believed  that  ere  long  the 
greater  portion  of  the  most  intelligent  and  conscien- 
tious women  in  this  country,  will  gradually  and  qui- 
etly take  this  course.  They  will  perceive  that  they 
are  bound,  not  only  to  assume  and  exercise  the  dis- 
tinctive rights  of  Protestantism,  as  authorized  inter- 
preters of  the  Bible,  but  to  protest^  by  word  and  deed, 
against  all  that  opposes  the  exercise  of  these  rights. 

In  accordance  with  this,  they  will  respectfully  and 
privately  express  to  their  pastor  and  fellow-Christians 
\hQYr  protest  against  the  Augustinian  system,  as  involv- 
ing a  dreadful  slander  on  their  Lord  and  Saviour, 
vailing  in  mystery  and  gloom  his  lovely  character, 
which  is  the  light  and  life  of  the  soul ;  they  will  pro- 
test against  every  creed  or  confession  or  church  ordi- 
nance that  is  based  on  this  system,  as  an  indorsement 
of  this  fatal  slander ;  they  will  protest  against  being 
regarded  as  members  of  a  church  in  any  other  sense 
than  as  persons  united  with  a  congregation  to  sustain 
the  worship  and  ordinances  instituted  by  Christ,  and 
to  aid  each  other  in  obeying  his  word ;  they  will  make 
it  clear  to  all  concerned,  that  they  do  not  claim  to 
possess  any  other  nature  than  that  received  from  God 
at  birth,  nor  to  be  regenerated  in  any  other  sense  than 


WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO?  857 

that  they  now  desire  and  sincerely  purpose  to  obey 
Christ  in  all  things. 

They  will,  moreover,  protest  against  the  exclusion 
of  themselves  or  their  children  from  the  Lord's  table, 
for  interpreting  the  Bible  diversely  from  the  church 
with  which  they  worship,  and  against  the  interference 
of  church  officers  to  examine  them  or  their  children  in 
order  to  ascertain  their  mode  of  interpreting  the  Bible 
or  the  any  other  signs  of  regeneration,  than  the  ex- 
pressed desire  to  unite  with  the  congregation  in  the 
worship  and  ordinances  appointed  by  Christ. 

Should  such  a  course  as  this  result  in  exclusion 
from  the  Lord's  table,  those  thus  protesting  can  de- 
part peaceably  to  some  church  which  could  conscien- 
tiously receive  them  on  such  terms.  And  if  no  such 
church  is  to  be  found,  they  can  quietly  relinquish  the 
privilege,  until  such  time  as  it  can  be  enjoyed  with- 
out a  sacrifice  of  principle  and  religious  liberty. 

K  those  thus  protesting  act  consistently,  they  will 
accord  to  the  church  excluding  them  the  same  liberty 
to  interpret  the  Bible,  in  regard  to  duty  on  this  sub- 
ject, as  they  claim  for  themselves.  The  church  in  "cut- 
ting them  off  may  feel  as  conscientiously  bound  to  the 
course  they  adopt,  according  to  their  way  of  under- 
standing the  Bible,  as  those  do  who  protest  and  with- 
draw. And  if  the  true  spirit  of  Christ,  the  spirit  of 
humility,  meekness  and  love  prevails,  such  disrup- 
tions will  occur  without  contentions  or  ill  feelings  on 
either  side. 

But  in  churches  embracing  many  who  possess  very 
little  of  this  spirit  and  cherishing  the  claim  of  infalli- 
bility,— ^first  in  deciding  which  is  the  true  church  and 
next  in  maintaining  its  dogmas, — there  would  result  a 


858        WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO? 

mode  of  dealing  with  such  Protestants  very  similar  to 
that  of  former  ages.  This  would  lead  to  agitation  and 
discussion.  But  even  on  this  trying  alternative  more 
good  than  evil  might  be  hoped,  especially  if  those  who 
protest  and  withdraw,  maintain  the  meek,  peaceable 
and  quiet  spirit  required  and  exhibited  by  their  Mas- 
ter. 

What  Young  America  will  do  ? 

The  higher  the  development  of  humanity,  the 
more  the  capacities  for  enjoyment  and  suffering  are 
increased,  and  the  more  civilization  multiplies  the 
means  and  modes  of  gratifying  increasing  desires,  the 
stronger  becomes  the  deep-felt  anxiety  in  regard  to 
the  invisible  future.  Are  all  these  capacities,  so  infi- 
nite in  their  tendencies,  to  expand  for  ever,  only  to  be 
wrenched  and  crossed  and  baffled  as  they  are  in  this 
life  ?  What  are  our  dangers  ?  What  are  we  to  do 
to  escape  them  ?  This  is  more  and  more  the  agoniz- 
ing demand  of  humanity. 

It  has  been  shown  that  a  system  of  doctrine  has 
been  forced  upon  Christendom  which  has  shrouded 
this  great  question  in  mysterious  gloom.  It  has  been 
shown  also  that  the  great  organizations  of  the  religious 
world  are  so  vitally  based  on  this  system  that  its  renun- 
ciation involves  their  certain  dissolution.  And  though 
the  advance  of  humanity  has,  more  or  less,  modified 
the  opinions  and  practice  of  the  individuals  embraced 
in  such  organizations,  still  the  principle  remains  un- 
changed. Consequently  any  formal,  open  attack  on 
this  principle  involves  the  combined  antagonism  of  all 
the  most  powerful  religious  organizations  of  society. 

Free  discussion  is  not  to  bo  expected  in  our  theo- 


WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO?        359 

logical  schools,  where  the  young  men  know  that  they  • 
can  not  be  recommended  for  license  if  they  fail  to 
adopt  the  creed  of  their  sect.  Kor  can  it  be  found  in 
our  colleges,  most  of  which  depend  for  patronage  on, 
or  are  pledged  to  the  interests  of  a  sect.  Nor  can  it 
be  expected  in  our  pulpits,  where  the  minister  teaches 
and  the  people  have  no  chance  of  rejoinder  or  dispu- 
tation. Kor  can  it  be  expected  of  the  religious  press, 
which  is  also  bound  to  sustain  sectarian  interests. 
"What  power  is  there  then  which  can  contend  against 
such  portentous  combinations,  sustained  not  only  by 
the  prestige  of  ages  and  all  the  innate  forces  of  long- 
drilled  organizations,  but  by  the  honest  and  conscien- 
tious convictions  of  the  great  majorities  thus  enrolled? 

It  is  the  power  of  truth  evolved  hy  free  discussion^  and 
mainly  as  it  is  and  will  be  administered  in  the  hands 
of  Young  America  and  the  secular  press. 

The  young  men  of  the  nation  have  the  control  of 
their  literary  societies  in  our  colleges  and  seminaries, 
and  of  the  popular  lyceums  and  other  associations, 
where  every  member  has  a  vote  in  deciding  what  shall 
be  discussed ;  and  here  the  battle  will  be  fought  for 
religious  hberty  and  the  Bible. 

In  this  conflict  there  will  appear  two  distinct  classes. 
The  first  will  be  those  of  shallow  capacity  and  acquire- 
ments, who,  perceiving  themselves  to  be  in  the  party 
of  reason  and  common  sense,  wiU  imagine  that  they 
have  acquired  this  position,  not  by  the  progress  of 
the  age,  brought  about  to  a  great  extent  by  the  dis- 
cussions, the  labors  and  sufferings  of  wise  and  good 
men,  many  of  them  distinguished  as  metaphysicians 
and  theologians,  but  that  it  is  aU  owing  to  their  own 
remarkable  genius  and  independent  thought.     Thus 


360        WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO? 

they  will  become  "headj,  high-mindecl,"  rash  and 
contemptuous.  Of  these,  some  will  be  borne  away  to 
utter  skepticism,  immorality  and  final  ruin.  Others, 
unable  to  reason  correctly,  and  bewildered  by  the 
conflict,  will  swing  around  to  the  opposite  extreme, 
and  enter  a  church  where  they  can  rest  their  faith  on 
a  priesthood  claiming  to  be  heaven-inspired,  which 
shall  decide  all  questions  of  faith  and  practice  for 
them. 

But  the  nobler  portion  of  Young  America  will  un- 
derstand truly  their  great  mission,  and,  taught  by  the 
mistakes  and  darkness  of  the  past,  with  a  modest  and 
humble  sense  of  their  own  inability  to  go  forward 
without  help,  both  from  God  and  their  fellow-men, 
will  seek  for  truth,  duty  and  happiness  in  the  appro- 
priate path  of  calm^  honesty  fair  and  free  discussion. 
And  their  generous  hearts  and  strong  ai'ms  will  be 
shield  and  buckler  even  to  the  feeblest  who  may  en- 
ter the  lists. 

What  the  Beligious  Press  will  do  ? 

This  question  is  the  most  perplexing  of  all,  at  least 
to  those  who  have  attentively  marked  the  recent  de- 
velopments in  the  religious  world. 

What  is  there  that  more  clearly  defies  at  once  the 
moral  sense,  the  common  sense  and  the  teachings  of 
the  Bible,  than  the  system  of  slavery  as  it  now  exists 
in  this  country,  and  yet  a  majority  of  not  only  ed- 
itors, but  of  the  ministers  of  Christ,  in  some  of  our 
most  intelligent  and  large  denominations,  openly  re- 
fuse freedom  of  discourse  on  this  subject ;  nay,  more, 
some  of  the  religious  papers  are  openly  justifying  the 
slave  trade,  which  politicians,  even  those  without  any 


WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    \^ItL  B*  I)  fffe' j-^flj  m  ■«► 

pretensions  to  religious  principle,  ha^^^^fe^J^^^  ^^^' 
racy,  the  highest  civil  crime. 

And  the  last  year  has  witnessed  the  deliberate 
crushing  of  free  debate  on  this  subject,  in  one  of 
our  largest  and  most  effective  benevolent  associations. 
And  some  of  those  whose  whole  lives  have  exhib- 
ited them  among  the  most  amiable,  conscientious  and 
exemplary  men,  are  to  be  found  upholding  such  a 
course. 

Who  then  can  predict  what  will  be  the  course  of 
the  religious  press,  when  every  editor  must  maintain 
the  distinctive  tenets  of  a  sect,  or  at  once  lose  his  pro- 
fessional character  and  his  income  ? 

It  is  very  easy  to  predict  what  will  be  the  course 
of  those  who  will  make  no  sacrifice  for  truth.  A 
large  portion  will  neither  read,  or  think  or  discuss, 
or,  so  far  as  they  have  power  to  prevent,  allow  others 
to  do  so.  Some  will  take  this  course  in  the  satisfied 
belief  that  they,  and  the  church  which  they  have  in- 
fallibly decided  to  be  infallible,  can  never  err.  Others 
will  avoid  all  discussion  for  fear  of  being  convinced 
of  mistakes,  obliging  them,  if  acknowledged,  to  sac- 
rifices of  pride,  character  and  income. 

Others  will  make  some  show  of  discussion,  so  far 
as  to  use  the  disgraceful  arts  sometimes  resorted  to, 
in  order  to  satisfy  and  blind  ignorant  and  unreflect- 
ing readers.  Unfair  and  garbled  quotations,  misstate- 
ment of  facts,  depreciating  implications  of  character 
and  motives,  invidious  allusions  to  family  or  party 
connections,  the  use  of  unpopular  terms,  which  hum- 
bler minds  have  been  trained  to  regard  as  designa- 
ting the  most  dangerous  and  destructive  heresies, 
these,  and  many  other  discreditable  methods,  will 
16 


362         WHAT    THE    PEOPLE     WILL    DO? 

probably  be  employed  to  stave  off  discussion,  or  to 
nullify  its  power. 

But  there  is  a  class  of  minds  wbo  have  access  to 
tbe  religious  press,  and  can  more  or  less  control  its 
action,  who  are  far  above  sucb  humiliating  littleness 
and  dishonesty.  In  regard  to  these,  such  are  the 
influence  of  education  and  long-trained  habits  of 
thought,  that  an  entire  change  of  a  whole  system  must 
be  a  gradual  process.  And  when  sermons,  lectures, 
books  and  pulpit  ministries  have  all  been  in  accord- 
ance with  one  system,  they  can  not  be  modified  to 
meet  another  without  many  practical  difficulties.  ISTor 
can  men,  whose  professional  associations  with  ecclesi- 
astical bodies  and  with  parishes  impede  them,  settle 
many  practical  questions  involved  in  any  change  of 
views,  without  demanding  tiinfie  for  reflection,  exam- 
ination and  consultation. 

In  this  position  of  affairs  in  the  religious  world,  a 
measure  of  retention,  and  even,  of  protracted  silence, 
in  many  cases,  may  be  wise  and  justifiable.  And 
charges  of  compromise,  or  of  cowardice,  or  of  intel- 
lectual deficiency,  in  such  cases,  would  be  false,  un- 
generous and  unjust.  All  this  should  be  taken  into 
account  in  judging  of  the  future  action  of  those  who 
control  the  religious  periodicals  and  literature. 

What  the  Secular  Press  will  do  f 

The  answer  to  this  question  is  much  more  clear  than 
the  preceding  one,  inasmuch  as  the  secular  press,  to 
a  great  extent,  is  free  from  the  embarrassments  that 
restrain  the  religious  press. 

It  has  become  so  manifest  that  the  great  .body  of 
the  people  are  determined  to  enjoy  perfect  liberty  of 


WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO?        363 

conscience,  and  to  defend  the  riglit  of  free  discussion 
in  religion  and  morals,  as  well  as  in  politics,  that  it  is 
clearly  for  tlie  interests  of  editors,  not  committed  to 
sectarianism,  to  uphold  these  rights. 

The  distinguished  popularity  and  success  of  that 
Daily  which  now  boasts  the  largest  circulation  in 
the  nation,  is  a  most  significant  fact.  Its  career 
began  long  before  the  refigious  world  had  its  dis« 
tinctive  tenets  rudely  assailed  by  any  but  ecclesias- 
tical hands,  and  long  before  the  secular  press  ven- 
tured to  bring  its  common-sense  maxims  to  bear  on 
rehgious  topics. 

Single-handed,  it  fearlessly  opened  its  columns  to 
discussions  on  Fourierism,  women's  rights,  intemper- 
ance, slavery,  religious  doctrines,  and  all  other  mat- 
ters that  concerned  the  public  weal,  giving  every 
party  a  fair  chance  to  speak  for  itself.  The  religious 
world  took  the  lead  in  the  outcry  and  alarm  against 
this  course.  But  the  people,  and  even  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  religious  people,  sustained  this  attempt  at 
fair  and  free  discussion,  so  honestly  and  fearlessly 
pursued,  until  the  battle  was  fairly  won.  And  now 
it  is  probable  that  the  larger  proportion  of  the  most 
candid  and  intelligent  editors  of  the  secular  press  per- 
ceive that  their  pecuniary  interests,  in  regard  to  free 
religious  discussion,  are  in  the  same  direction  as  their 
reason  and  conscience. 

TiuB  being  so,  it  is  probable  that  the  most  pow- 
erful, fair  and  effective  discussions  of  the  grand 
question  of  life  hereafter,  will  be  found  more  in 
the  secular  than  in  the  religious  press,  at  least  for 
a  considerable  period  of  time. 

Should  this  be  so,  there  would  probably  be  an 


864        WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO? 

improvement  in  modes  of  discussion  in  several  re- 
spects. 

Among  these  may  be  anticipated  an  advance  in  a 
spirit  of  Christian  humility,  charity  and  of  gentleman- 
ly courtesy  in  dealing  with  the  character  and  motives 
of  those  whose  opinions,  either  in  religion  or  morals, 
are  discussed.  The  true  spirit  of  Christian  charity  de- 
mands that  we  endeavor  to^resent  the  best  rather  than 
the  worst  construction  of  our  opponent's  character, 
motives  and  arguments. 

A  true  humihty  implies  such  a  self-distrust,  and 
such  a  sense  of  our  need  of  aid  in  discovering  truth, 
not  only  from  God  but  from  our  fellov\r-men,  as  will 
be  indicated  in  a  modest  and  unimpassioned  exhibi- 
tion of  opinions  and  arguments,  and  a  courteous  re- 
ception of  all  criticisms  and  counter  arguments.  With 
this  spirit  the  weakness  or  mistakes,  or  sophistries  of 
an  opponent  would  be  exhibited  more  in  sorrow  than 
in  triumph  or  scorn. 

A  true  gentlemanly  courtesy  would  enforce  the 
same  rules  of  delicacy  and  good  breeding  in  public 
encounters  as  are  regarded  by  well-bred  persons  in 
the  drawing  room.  This  would  necessarily  banish  all 
allusion  to  personal  or  family  failings,  and  all  invid- 
ious or  disrespectful  modes  of  address  or  language. 

No  one  who  is  familiar  with  the  controversies  on 
doctrine  and  morals,  as  conducted  in  the  religious  pa- 
pers, can  doubt  that  there  is  room  for  improvement 
in  all  these  particulars. 

Such  improvement  is  to  be  anticipated,  not  on  ac- 
count of  any  mental  or  moral  superiority  of  the  con- 
ductors of  the  secular  press,  but  rather  from  the  fact 
that  they  are  free  from  many  of  the  embarrassments 


WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO?         365 

and  exciting  influences  already  pointed  out  as  sur- 
rounding those  who  conduct  the  religious  periodicals. 

Another  improvement  to  be  anticipated  is  the  with- 
drawal of  the  great  questions  in  debate  from  the  mists 
of  metaphysical  and  theological  technics  to  the  clear, 
popular  language  of  common  life. 
•  In  the  preceding  pages  it  is  shown  that  the  most 
important  questions  of  religious  truth  and  duty  can 
be  discussed  in  the  language  of  common  life,  so  as  to 
be  made  intelligible  to  all  persons  of  ordinary  educa- 
tion, who  are  sufficiently  interested  to  give  their  at- 
tention to  matters  which  demand  intellectual  exer- 
tion. Men  will  find  that  they  must  "  labor  to  enter 
into  the  strait  gate,"  intellectually  as  well  as  morally, 
and  that  they  are  to  "  ivork  out  their  own  salvation 
with  fear  and  trembling,"  while  thus  they  will  leani 
to  understand  the  nature  of  the  encouraging  assur- 
ance that  "it  is  God  that  worketh  in  us  to  will  and 
to  do  of  his  own  good  pleasure." 

When,  therefore,  the  secular  press  and  the  popular 
lyceum  take  up  these  gTcat  questions  they  will  insist 
that  the  discussions  shall  be  carried  on  in  popular 
language,  so  that  the  labor  demanded  shall  not  be  in- 
creased by  the  unknown  tongue  of  theological  and 
metaphysical  science. 

Again,  there  will  be  an  improvement  in  the  mode 
of  conducting  such  discussions,  by  the  banishment  of 
all  adventitious  topics  and  the  firm  grasping  of  the 
one  great  fundamental  point  in  debate.  It  will  be  in- 
sisted that  the  question  is  not  at  all  whether  Armin- 
ians  or  Universalists,  or  Unitarians  hold  this  or  that 
opinion,  nor  whether  advocating  such  and  such  views 
would  injure  the  cause  of  this  or  that  institution,  or 


WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO? 

sect  or  individual ;  nor  whetlier  this  or  that  person 
has  certain  faults,  or  is  a  proper  advocate  of  some  in- 
novations ;  nor  whether  undesirable  results  would  fol- 
low from  expressing  certain  views,  but  simply  what  is 
the  truth,  so  far  as  it  can  be  discovered  bj  honest  state- 
ments and  fair  discussion. 

The  grand  question  in  debate  is  not  whether  men 
are  depraved  in  character  and  action  as  they  appear  in 
the  history  of  the  world.  All  parties  agree  in  the  fact 
of  such  dreadful  depravity.  The  question  is  in  regard 
to  the  'philosophy  of  this  fact,  that  is  to  say,  What  is 
the  cause  or  reason  of  this  depravity  ? 

Here  it  will  be  found  that  two  classes  exist  in  all 
the  great  Protestant  sects,  viz. : 

Those  who  hold  that  the  cause  is  a  depraved  na- 
ture, [signifying  what  men  mean  when  in  common 
life  they  use  the  terms,  nature,  organization,  construe- 
tion  or  constitution,']  and  those  who  deny  that  any  such 
depraved  nature  exists.  These  two  opposite  opinions, 
ever  since  the  third  century,  have  been  expressed  by 
the  terms,  Augustinian  and  Pelagian. 

The  case  is  now  so  fairly  and  clearly  before  the  peo- 
ple, that  every  theologian  who  has  capacity  and  train- 
ing sufSicient  to  understand  an  argument  must  know- 
ingly do  one  of  these  things : 

1.  Deny  depravity  of  nature  and  allow  that  he  is  a 
Pelagian ;  or 

2.  AfSrm  such  depravity,  take  rank  as  an  Augus- 
tinian and  then  meet  the  argument  which,  on  this  as- 
sumption, destroys  all  evidence  of  the  benevolence  of 
God,  and  renders  a  reliable  revelation  from  him  im- 
possible. 

3.  Withdraw  from  all  discussion   either  by  entire 


WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO?         867 

silence,  or  by  hiding  in  the  fogs  of  metaphysical  and 
theological  technics,  or  by  the  disgraceful  arts  of  de- 
bate practiced  to  alarm  and  delude  the  ignorant. 

Heretofore  the  editors  of  secular  papers  have  prac- 
tically conceded  that  the  religious  disputes  and  con- 
flicts that  agitated  the  churches  were  matters  out  of 
their  province  and  to  be  turned  over  to  the  clergy  and 
religious  editors.  And  inasmuch  as  most  of  these 
contentions  have  related  to  matters  of  rites  and  forms, 
or  to  abstract  doctrinal  points  having  little  practical 
bearings  on  the  daily  life,  such  abstinence  seemed  ap- 
propriate. But  the  progress  of  the  age  has  at  last 
fairly  brought  the  orgaaized  church  front  to  front 
with  the  unregenerate  world  on  the  greatest  of  all 
practical  questions — a  question  with  which  every  ed- 
itor of  every  secular  paper  has  as  deep  a  personal  and 
family  interest  as  has  any  religious  editor,  or  any  doc- 
tor of  theology,  or  any  parochial  pastor. 

Is  it  a  fact,  or  is  it  not,  that  every  man  at  birth  is 
so  depraved  in  nature  that  every  one  of  his  moral  acts 
is  sm,  and  sin  only^  until  a  change  in  this  naturae  is 
wrought  by  the  creative  power  of  Grod,  and  must  all 
young  children  be  educated  on  this  assumption? 

The  training  of  the  family,  our  institutions  of  edu- 
cation, the  church  organizations  of  the  great  religious 
sects,  all  depend  on  this  question.  The  answer  to  it 
must  be  yes  or  no,  for  no  third  supposition  is  possible. 
Every  intelligent  man  then  must  speak  out  in  the  af- 
firmative, or  in  the  negative,  or  else  hide  in  silence 
or  in  the  mists  of  deceit. 

In  this  view  of  the  case,  it  is  believed  that  the 
educated  class  of  powerful  and  cultivated  minds,  who 


868        WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO? 

are,  by  their  position  and  talents,  tlie  leaders  of  the 
secular  press,  will  not  turn  this  matter  over  to  their 
theological  contributors,  but  will  take  the  case  into 
their  own  hands,  and  fearlessly  and  earnestly  meet 
their  high  responsibilities. 

Thus  they  may  prove  not  only  the  most  effective 
leaders  in  the  intellectual  and  moral  advance  of  hu- 
manity, but  the  protectors  of  many  suffering,  strug- 
gling minds,  who  unaided  would  sink  in  the  conflict 
before  them. 

In  this  exhibition  of  the  position  of  the  religious 
world,  the  attitude  of  this  work  is  very  remarkable. 
It  is  in  open  and  direct  antagonism  with  all  the  relig- 
ions organizations  of  the  Christian  world,  and  that 
too  in  regard  to  the  very  fundamentals  on  which  each 
of  these  organizations  depends  for  its  existence.  All 
the  Augustinian  sects  are  against  the  position  of  this 
work,  that  the  mind  of  man  is  perfect  in  nature,  and 
should  they  adopt  the  Pelagian  ground  consistently, 
every  one  of  them  would  either  come  to  an  end,  or 
change  the  very  basis  of  its  organization. 

The  only  sect  that  openly  and  consistently  avows 
the  Pelagian  view,  is  the  Unitarian  ;  but  this  organi- 
zation is  founded  on  the  distinctive  tenet  of  such  a 
■unity  in  God  as  forbids  the  idea  of  a  plurality  of 
eternal,  self-existent  Persons,  having  the  highest  at- 
tributes of  Grod,  This  is  contrary  to  the  system  of 
common  sense,  as  exhibited  in  this  work,  page  100. 
The  Universalist  organization  is  based  on  the  doctrine 
that  none  of  the  human  race  will  continue  sinful  for 
ever,  and  thus  insure  the  natural  consequences  of 
sin.     This  also  is  shown  to  be  contrary  to  th^  sys- 


WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO?        369 

tern  of  common  sense,  as  presented  in  this  work,  page 
177. 

The  great  body  of  persons,  as  yet  unorganized,  who 
agree  in  resisting  the  claims  of  the  Bible  as  contain- 
ing reliable  revelations  from  the  Creator,  and  thus 
authoritative  rules  of  faith  and  practice,  will  be  ar- 
rayed against  such  claims  maintained  in  this  work,  as 
one  of  the  inevitable  results  of  the  application  of  the 
principles  of  common  sense. 

Consequently,  the  whole  religious  organizations  of 
the  world,  who  rest  their  faith  on  the  Bible,  are  an- 
tagonistic to  this  work,  while  those  who  repudiate  the 
authority  of  the  Bible  are  equally  so. 

Still  more  remarkable  is  the  fact  exhibited  in  this 
volume,  that  the  writer,  in  a  family  circle  embracing 
so  many  theologians  and  pastors,  appears  before  the 
public  as  antagonistic  to  most,  and  supported  openly 
by  not  one  of  them. 

What  then  is  the  foundation  of  that  confiding  and 
cheerful  equanimity  with  which  all  this  imposing  ar- 
ray of  organizations  and  individual  talents,  learning 
and  influence  is  regarded  ?  It  is,  first,  confidence  in 
truth  and  the  God  of  truth,  and  next,  the  intimate 
knowledge  gained  by  the  writer,  of  the  characters  and 
the  mental  experiences  of  some  of  the  most  powerful 
minds  that  are  leaders  of  this  host,  and  at  the  same 
time  a  similar  knowledge  of  some  of  the  noblest 
minds,  who  are  most  efiectively  influencing  that  great 
portion  of  the  popular  mind  which  is  not  embraced 
in  these  organizations.  Whatever  may  be  the  opin- 
ions of  these  powerful  classes,  who  may  in  form  and 
position  appear  antagonistic,  they  will  never  be  lead- 
ers in  any  attempt  to  crush  perfect  freedom  of  thought 


870        WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO? 

and  expression,  or  to  restrain  that  free  and  earnest 
discussion  wHcTi  is  impending. 

Nay  more,  if  tlie  distinctive  feature  of  a  follower 
of  Christ  is  to  be  humble  and  teachable  in  spirit, 
"  meek  and  lowly  of  heart/'  and  if  that  highest  form 
of  human  development  is  dawning,  when  moral  mag- 
nanimity shall  take  precedence  of  intellectual  power 
in  human  estimation,  then  the  world  will  soon  behold 
what  as  yet  has  been  deemed  impossible,  great  and 
learned  men,  even  doctors  in  theology,  nay  more, 
even  men  that  have  written  books,  resigning  the 
claim  of  infallibility,  and  confessing  that  they  have 
made  mistakes. 

The  hope  of  this,  moreover,  is  sustained  by  the 
character  and  position  of  some,  who  not  only  stand 
high  in  the  theological  world,  but  are  among  the  most 
revered  and  beloved  in  that  family  circle,  where  the 
golden  chain  of  perfect  love  has  never  for  a  morftent 
been  sundered  by  the  widest  diversities  of  opinion  or 
the  freest  discussion  of  differences.  What  has  tran- 
spired in  one  christian  family,  it  is  believed,  may  be 
but  the  emblem  of  what  is  yet  to  prevail  among  the 
true  children  of  Him,  "  of  whom  the  whole  family 
in  heaven  and  on  earth  is  named."* 


NOTE. 

The  work  often  referred  to  in  the  preceding  pages,  was  writ- 
ten, at  first,  on  a  more  limited  plan  than  now  appears.  After  a 
portion  was  printed,  it  was  perceived  that  the  discussion  contained 
in  this  volume  was  indispensable,  and  the  title  at  first  designed 
for  the  whoh  work,  became  inappropriate  to  the  first  portion 

♦NoteG. 


-WHAT    THE    PEOPLE    WILL    DO?         371 

■when  issued  alone.  In  making  a  change,  the  result  has  been,  that 
the  work  has  sometimes  been  advertised  by  its  first  name,  the 
Bible  and  the  People,  and  sometimes  by  its  second  name,  Com- 
Sense  Applied  to  Religion,  and  sometimes  by  both  together. 

Hereafter,  the  title  of  the  first  volume  vrill  be  Common  Sense 
Applied  to  Religion.  This  volume  is  the  second  portion.  The 
final  portion,  not  yet  published,  will  be  entitled  The  Bible  Inter- 
preted BY  Common  Sense. 


NOTES 


ISToTE  A. — Page  9. 

The  new  school  divines  agree  with  the  old  school  in  teaching 
that  previous  to  regeneration  every  moral  act  is  sin  and  only  sin, 
and  that  God  has  made  no  promises  to  unregenerate  doings,  which 
would  obligate  him  to  re-create  the  soul,  in  return  for  such  per- 
formances. 

On  the  contrary,  they  urge  man  himself  to  change  his  own 
heart,  as  that  which  is  possibl-e  without  any  aid  from  God.  And 
the  interference  of  God  to  regenerate  is  represented  by  them  as 
an  act  of  sovereign,  elective  mercy,  unbought  by  any  labor  or 
striving  on  the  part  of  man. 

Still,  they  encourage  the  use  of  the  means  of  grace  as  the  way 
in  which  God  ordinarily  meets  the  sinner,  in  bestowing  this  gift. 
They  urge  that  experience  proves,  that  though  regeneration  is  not 
promised  to  the  use  of  the  means  of  grace,  it  is  more  frequently 
bestowed  on  those  who  use  them  than  on  those  who  neglect 
them. 


Note  B.— -Page  181. 

There  are  three  points  on  the  subject  of  the  future  state,  which 
need  to  be  discussed  separately. 

The  first  is,  will  there  be  an  eventual  separation  of  the  human 
race,  at  some  final  consummation,  so  that  from  that  point,  through 
all  eternity,  there  will  be  two  separate  communities,  the  good  be- 
ing perfect  in  character  and  happiness,  and  the  bad  reaping  the 
natural  results  of  their  evil  tempers  and  conduct  for  ever  f 


NOTES.  873 

The  second  is,  does  our  conduct  in  this  life  have  an  influence  in 
deciding  our  degrees  of  happiness  or  misery  in  a  future  state,  so 
that  we  reap  the  natural  good  or  evil  consequences  of  all  we  do 
here  for  ever  ? 

The  third  is  entirely  independent  of  the  other  two,  and  is  this : 
Is  the  eternal  condition  of  every  human  being  fixed  at  the  hour  of 
death ;  or  is  there  with  some  a  continued  process  of  culture  and 
discipline,  and  of  upward  and  downward  progress  in  a  future 
state,  extending  to  the  day  of  final  separation  and  consumma- 
tion? 

That  some  may  become  so  good  in  this  life  as  to  insure  an  eter- 
nal upward  progress,  and  that  some  may  become  so  bad  as  to  in- 
sure a  perpetual  downward  progress,  may  be  true,  and  yet,  to 
others  new  opportunities  may  be  given. 

It  is  by  revelations  from  the  Creator  alone  that  these  points  can 
be  effectually  settled.  It  is  shown  in  chapter  27,  that  every  sys- 
tem of  rehgion  or  morals  must  be  decided  by  these  questions. 
Therefore,  these  questions,  and  the  authority  of  the  Bible  on  these 
points,  must  become  the  subject  of  renewed  and  earnest  discus- 


NoTE  0.— Page  191. 

The  doctrine  of  the  Atonement  can  be  regarded  simply  as  a  fact 
without  any  reference  to  the  philosophy  of  it,  i.  e.,  the  mode  or 
cause  of  this  fact.  Jesus  Christ  came  into  this  world  to  save  men 
from  sin  and  its  inevitable  penalties,  hy  his  teachings,  sufferings  and 
death.  This  fact  may  be  received  without  any  attempt  to  explain 
the  why  or  the  how  it  came  to  pass,  or  how  it  is  made  efficacious, 
which  are  the  philosophy  of  this  fact. 

In  regard  to  this  philosophy,  various  theories  have  been  incor- 
porated into  creeds  and  theological  systems. 

The  most  common  theory  at  the  present  time,  in  this  country, 
is,  that  the  sufferings  and  the  death  of  Christ  avail  to  sustain  the 
justice  and  the  laws  of  God  as  effectually  as  would  the  infliction 
of  eternal  misery  on  all  who  are  regenerated.  That  is  to  say,  if 
by  repentance  and  reformation,  without  an  atonement,  men  should 
escape  all  the  penalties  for  past  sin,  the  result  would  be  that 


374  NOTES. 

God's  justice  would  be  impeached  and  his  laws  be  nullified,  just 
as  human  lawgivers  become  unjust  and  their  laws  are  made  void 
when  aU  penalties  are  remitted.  This  difficulty,  it  is  supposed,  on 
the  common  theory,  was  met  by  the  sufierings  and  the  death  of 
Jesus  Christ,  as  a  vicarious  substitute  in  behalf  of  those  saved. 
That  is  to  say,  this  atoning  sacrifice  operates  to  preserve  the  jus- 
tice of  Grod  and  the  efficiency  of  laws,  as  efi"ectually  as  would  the 
eternal  punishment,  from  which  all  regenerated  persons  are  thus 
rescued. 

This  mode  of  explaining  the  why  and  the  how  may  be  relin- 
quished and  another  mode  adopted,  or  no  theory  at  all  may  be 
deemed  needful,  while  behef  may  remain  in  the  great  fact,  that 
Jesus  Christ  wrought  out  the  salvation  of  those  who  are  saved, 
by  his  advent,  sufferings  and  death,  and  that  they  could  be  saved 
by  no  other  mode. 

It  is  very  important  to  recognize  this  distinction  between  the 
fact  and  the  philosophical  theories  invented  to  explain  the  fact;  be- 
cause it  is  frequently  the  case  that  the  denial  of  a  theory  is  re- 
garded as  a  denial  of  the  great  fact,  when  such  is  not  the  case. 
All  may  agree  in  the  fact  when  very  diverse  theories  are  held  to 
explain  it. 

Whether  our  Creator  actually  has  come  in  human  form  into 
this  world,  and  exhibited  an  example  of  self-sacrifice  and  suffering 
for  the  general  good,  is  what  we  may  infer  as  probable  by  the  hght 
of  nature,  but  which  we  can  fuUy  prove  only  by  revelation. 


Note  D.— Page  192. 

Whether  the  Creator  ever  communes  with  the  human  spirit 
except  through  the  material  organizations,  is  one  on  which  rea- 
son and  experience  furnish  no  intimations. 

!N"o  record  is  to  be  found  of  any  communications  from  the  Cre- 
ator to  mankind  that  were  not  made  either  by  visible  forms  or  in- 
telligible sounds,  or  by  visions  and  dreams  in  sleep.  All  the  rev- 
elations recorded  in  the  Bible  were  by  some  one  of  these  methods. 

This  being  so,  the  system  of  common  sense  neither  affirms  or 
denies  the  direct  access  of  the  creative  mind  to  the  minds  of  his 
creatures.     It  is  a  question  to  be  settled  solely  by  revelation. 


NOTES.  875 

Note  E.— Page  221. 

This  mode  of  explaining  the  depravity  of  mind  is  to  be  found 
in  the  Conflict  of  Ages.  On  page  90  the  following  passage  ex- 
hibit's the  author's  idea,  both  of  a  perfectly  constructed  mind,  and 
of  a  depraved  mind : 

"  So  there  is  a  life  of  the  mind.  It  involves  an  original  and  de- 
signed correlation  to  God,  and  such  a  state  of  the  affections,  pas- 
sions, emotions,  intellect  and  will,  that  communion  with  God  shall 
be  natural,  habitual,  and  the  life  of  the  soul.  He  who  has  been 
so  far  healed  by  divine  grace  as  to  reach  this  state,  has  a  true  idea 
of  the  normal  and  healthy  state  of  the  soul.  And  if  he  finds  that 
there  is  that  in  the  state  of  Ms  moral  constitution  and  emotions 
which  seems  to  lie  beneath  his  will  and  undermine  its  energy  to 
follow  the  convictions  of  reason  and  conscience,  and  that  by  di- 
vine grace  this  has  been  changed,  and  an  energy  not  only  to  will 
but  to  do  good  is  supphed,  is  it  to  be  wondered  at  that,  in  some 
way,  he  should  come  to  the  conclusion  that  there  is  in  his  nature 
or  moral  constitution,  depravity  or  pollution,  anterior  to  the  action 
of  the  will  ?" 

The  theory  which  this  author  adopts  is,  that  the  "normal"  state 
of  man's  "  nature  or  moral  constitution'^  was  created  in  man  by 
God  in  a  preexistent  state,  and  that  man's  "  depravity  or  pollution 
anterior  to  the  action  of  the  will"  consists  in  "  a  habit  of  sinning," 
generated  in  this  preexistent  state. 

This  habit  of  sinning  was  not  a  part  of  the  perfectly-constructed 
nature  made  by  God.  Man  himself  introduced  it  into  his  own 
mind,  thus  rendering  it  so  depraved  that  every  moral  act  is  sin, 
and  only  sin. 

Regeneration,  according  to  this  theory,  consists  in  a  change  of 
the  "  state  of  the  moral  constitution,"  whereby  "  an  energy  not 
only  to  will  but  to  do  good  is  supplied."  That  is  to  say,  the  "  habit 
of  sinning"  can  be  lessened  or  removed  by  some  supernatural 
change  of  the  "  moral  constitution"  by  God.  And  yet  all  men 
are  born  with  this  depravity  which  God  can  remedy,  and  will  not 
except  for  a  select  few. 

It  is  manifest,  therefore,  that  this  writer  holds  to  a  depravity  of 
nature  in  the  true  and  proper  sense  of  the  term,  signifying  const!' 
tution  or  construction. 


376  NOTES. 

This  being  so,  his  theory  puts  it  out  of  his  power  to  prove  the 
benevolence  of  the  Creator,  or  to  establish  any  revelation  from 
him  as  a  reliable  guide  to  truth  and  happiness. 

For  it  is  the  nature  of  any  created  thing  which  proves  the  char- 
acter and  intentions  of  its  creator.  If  then  all  human  minds  are 
depraved  in  nature  or  "  constitution,"  the  Creator  of  these  minds 
is  thus  proved  to  be  depraved,  and  no  revelations  from  him  can  be 
reliable.  He  prefers  sin  and  evil  to  virtue  and  happiness,  and  of 
course  his  teachings  can  be  no  guide  to  truth,  virtue  and  happi- 
ness. Thus,  by  his  own  theory,  this  author  is  debarred  from  any 
proof  of  a  preexistent  state  by  revelation. 

On  page  20  it  is  further  stated  that  "  inasmuch  as  the  mind  of 
man  is  depraved,  and  there  may  be  danger  in  trusting  its  unre- 
vised,  uncorrected  decisions  as  to  these  principles  [of  honor  and 
right],  it  is  of  great  importance,  for  purposes  of  revision,  carefully 
to  study  those  developments  of  benevolent^  honorable  and  just 
feelings,  towards  which  the  human  mind,  after  regeneration,  and 
under  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  found  most  directly  to 
tend." 

This  passage  shows  that  this  depravity  of  the  "  moral  constitu- 
tion," generated  in  a  preexistent  state,  in  the  view  of  this  author, 
is  such  that  there  is  danger  in  trusting  our  mental  decisions  as 
to  the  principles  of  honor  and  right  at  first  implanted  by  God,  but 
vitiated  and  impaired  by  the  "  habit  of  sinning."  This  danger,  it 
is  suggested,  is  lessened  "  after  regeneration,"  so  that  regenerated 
persons  are  thus  entitled  to  guide  their  unregenerate  fellow-men 
in  matters  of  truth  and  duty.  This  lays  the  foundation  for  the 
claims  of  a  regenerate  church  and  clergy  to  superior  authority  in 
deciding  on  the  interpretations  of  the  Bible.  The  tendencies  of 
such  claims  to  pride,  dogmatism  and  persecution,  are  pointed  out 
in  chapter  41. 


Note  F.— Page  255. 
The  following  extract  from  the  Views  and  Experiences  of  Relig- 
ion, by  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  is  an  example  of  the  vagueness  and 
uncertainty  referred  to.     It  is  part  of  an  article  entitled  How  to 
Become  a  Christian. 


NOTES.  377 

"  The  moment  you  realize  this  goodness  of  Christ,  his  helpful- 
ness to  you,  his  lenient,  forgiving,  sympathizing  spirit,  then  you 
know  what  faith  in  Christ  means.  If  such  a  Saviour  attracts  you, 
and  you.  strive  all  the  more  ardently,  from  love  toward  him  and 
trust  in  him,  then  you  are  a  Christian :  not  a  religious  man,  but  a 
Christian. 

"  A  man  may  worship  through  awe,  or  through  a  sense  of  duty, 
and  I  think  there  are  hundreds  of  men  in  the  churches  who  are 
only  religious  men,  and  not  Christians.  A  man  who  feels  toward 
God  only  awe  or  fear,  who  obeys  merely  from  a  sense  of  duty,  who 
is  under  the  dominion  of  conscience  rather  than  of  love,  may  be 
religious,  but  he  is  not  a  Christian." 

There  is  nothing  said  in  this  article  of  any  need  of  any  new 
creation  of  the  nature  of  the  mind ;  nor  is  this  Augustinian  dog- 
ma to  be  found  in  any  of  this  author's  published  works. 

In.  this  article,  written  expressly  to  give  clear  views  of  what  it 
is  to  become  a  Christian,  and  how  to  do  it,  we  find  it  taught  "  a 
man  who  feels  toward  God  only  awe  or  fear,  who  obeys  merely 
from  a  sense  of  duty,  who  is  under  the  dominion  of  conscience  rather 
than  of  love,  may  be  religious,  but  he  is  not  a  Christian." 

Suppose,  then,  a  person  with  a  strong  sense  of  justice  and  great 
natural  benevolence,  is  trained  to  beUeve  the  Calvinistic  form  of 
the  Augustinian  system,  so  that  God  appears  to  him  only  the  aw- 
ful, incomprehensible  author  of  this  dreadful  system,  and  Jesus 
Christ,  this  same  God,  so  united  to  a  man  (as  this  transaction  is 
usually  represented)  that  the  human  soul  alone  bears  all  the  grief 
and  suffering  involved  in  the  expiatory  sacrifice  demanded.  Sup- 
pose, also,  that,  in  this  view,  unable  to  feel  any  emotions  but  fear 
and  awe,  he  says,  "  There  must  he  a  dreadful  mistake  somewhere- 
I  can  not  fathom  it ;  but  I  can  and  will  do  this :  I  will  trust  the 
word  of  Jesus  Christ  as  to  the  character  of  God,  and  I  will  ohey 
his  teachings  conscientiously  in  all  things,  as  nearly  as  I  am  able;" 
and  this  determination  is  carried  out  in  his  life. 

Is  such  a  man  a  Christian,  or  is  he  not  ?  Guided  only  by  the 
above  extract,  it  would  be  very  difficult  to  decide,  or  to  state  what 
is  this  author's  view  of  regeneration ;  nor  is  there  any  thing  in  his 
published  writings  to  remove  the  vagueness  and  uncertainty  caused 
by  such  teachings  as  are  embraced  in  the  above  extract,  as  to  what 
change  makes  a  man  a  true  Christian. 


878  NOTES. 

According  to  the  system  of  common  sense  (as  explained  chap- 
ter 24,  and  also  on  page  258)  to  form  and  carry  out  a  ruling  pur- 
pose to  obey  the  laws  of  God,  as  made  known  by  Jesus  Christ, 
is  loving  God  and  Christ  in  the  only  way  in  wliich  love  can  justly 
be  made  a  subject  of  command.  And  when  a  man  forms  and 
carries  out  such  a  purpose,  he  is  "  under  the  dominion  of  con- 
science," and  is  a  true  Christian. 

The  point  where  this  writer  seems  to  fail,  in  this  extract,  is,  in 
a  want  of  the  distinction,  pointed  out  in  the  chapter  above  men- 
tioned, between  voluntary  and  involuntary  love.  A  person  may 
be  "  under  the  dominion  of  conscience,"  by  a  purpose  to  obey  all 
the  laws  of  God,  and  for  want  of  the  true  view  of  God's  charac- 
ter, as  exliibited  in  Jesus  Christ,  may  experience  only  emotions 
of  fear  and  awe  in  performing  such  obedience. 

It  is  the  true,  efficient  purpose  to  obey  Christ  which  constitutes 
a  man  a  Christian.  It  is  right  views  of  God's  character,  as  seen  in 
Jesus  Christ,  that  gives  new  strength  to  carry  out  such  a  purpose. 

"  When  we  were  yet  without  strength,  in  due  time  Christ  died 
for  the  ungodly,"  thus  giving  new  motives  of  love  and  gratitude, 
in  addition  to  those  of  fear  and  awe.  IsTot  until  all  the  false  the- 
ories that  hitherto  have  vailed  the  atoning  sacrifice  of  Jesus  Christ 
are  cast  away,  will  the  full  meaning  of  the  above  text  be  fully  un- 
derstood. 


Note  G.— Page  370. 

Among  theologians  and  pastors  there  are  two  classes  now  ex- 
isting, in  all  the  great  Protestant  sects,  the  one  holding  to  a  real 
depravity  of  nature,  and  striving  to  make  such  a  fact  consistent 
with  common  sense  and  with  the  ideas  of  benevolence  and  justice 
in  the  Creator ;  the  other,  holding  only  to  a  depravity  of  action 
and  of  character,  resulting  from  such  action  in  this  life,  are  striv- 
ing to  evade  open  antagonism  with  the  Augustinian  theory. 

No  third  position  being  possible,  every  man  is  necessarily  Au- 
gustinian or  Pelagian ;  either  holding  that  man  is  depraved  in  na- 
ture, or  that  he  is  not. 

In  the  first  class,  is  one  whom,  above  all  others,  the  writer 
would  prefer  to  meet  in  a  discussion  on  this  great  question. 


NOTES.  379 

It  is  one  who  is  remembered  in  early  life  as  the  honest,  serious, 
book-loving  boy ;  next  as  the  earnest  Christian  and  faitliful  stu- 
dent, winning  the  highest  honors  of  a  collegiate  course  ;  next  as 
a  student  of  theology  called  to  several  of  the  highest  city  pulpits, 
even  before  finishing  his  preparatory  course ;  next,  even  in  youth, 
the  president  of  a  flourishing  western  college,  taking  a  decided 
stand  on  the  slavery  question,  defending  the  freedom  of  the  press 
with  its  first  martyr,  and  very  nearly  sharing  his  fate ;  next  re- 
suming the  pastor's  office,  mainly  to  gain  more  freedom  to  write 
and  publish  his  peculiar  views,  which  he  well  understood  would 
encounter  all  the  organized  interests  of  Christendom,  and  place  a 
drag-chain  on  all  his  personal  and  professional  interests ;  finally, 
one  who,  as  scholar,  metaphysician  and  theologian,  in  the  writer's 
view,  has  never  been  surpassed,  while  he  never  has,  and  never 
will,  resort  to  a  cowardly  or  unfair  mode  to  weaken  or  escape  an 
argument.  Thus  much,  if  not  allowable  toward  a  brother,  may 
be  permitted  toward  an  antagonist. 

It  is  this  brother  who  for  years  has  been  laboring  to  sustain  the 
Augustinian  dogma  by  a  theory  which — could  it  be  proved — ^is 
the  only  one  yet  devised  that  is  at  once  rational,  intelligible  and 
actually  secures  the  end  designed.  For  if  it  were  a  fact  that  the 
nature  of  mind  is  depraved,  and  if  it  were  possible  to  prove  that 
oiir  race  originally,  in  a  preexistent  state,  were  created  with  a 
perfect  nature,  ruined  themselves,  and  were  bom  into  this  world 
for  purposes  of  pardon  and  redemption,  the  grand  difficulty  would 
all  be  remedied,  and  God  could  be  exhibited  as  wise,  just  and 
good  in  spite  of  this  mournful  fact. 

But  it  is  the  fact  of  the  depraved  nature  of  the  human  mind, 
where  the  writer  and  this  brother  are  at  issue,  and  not  on  any 
theory  to  reUeve  the  difficulties  incident  to  that  fact. 

The  argument  of  this  work,  to  prove  that  there  is  no  possible 
mode  of  proving  the  benevolence  of  God,  or  of  proving  that  the 
Bible  is  a  reliable  revelation  from  him,  to  any  man  who  teaches 
that  the  nature  of  the  human  mind  is  depraved  in  any  sense  that 
can  be  made  intelligible  by  human  language,  this  is  the  place  where 
the  author  of  the  Conflict  of  Ages,  in  due  time,  will  meet  this  dis- 
cussion fairly,  openly  and  honorably. 

In  the  second  class,  mentioned  above,  is  another  brother,  whom 
the  writer  beHeves  to  be  as  decidedly  on  the  Pelagian  ground. 


380  NOTES. 

Whether  he  yet  fully  understands  his  position,  is  not  affirmed  by 
one,  who  has,  for  so  short  a  time,  fully  understood  her  own  bear- 
ings in  this  matter.  But  ere  long,  the  only  question  remaining 
for  him  will  be,  whether  he  shall  openly  attack  this  strongly- 
entrenched  error,  this  wholesale  slander  on  his  Lord  and  Master,  or 
take  the  Tract  Society  mode  of  evading  discussion.  All  who  best 
know  the  writer  of  the  Star  Papers^  best  understand  that  any 
question  of  expediency  will  relate,  not  to  the  fearless,  outspoken 
exhibition  of  his  opinions,  but  only  to  the  time  and  inanner  in 
which  it  shall  be  done.  He  must  soon  perceive  that  it  is  as  much 
bis  duty  openly  to  attack  the  African*  enslavement  of  Anglo- 
Saxon  minds,  as  it  ever  was  to  combat  the  Anglo-Saxon  enslave- 
ment of  African  bodies. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  this  public  appeal  to  family  friends  was 
not  made  until  all  other  theologians,  especially  obHgated  to  meet 
this  discussion,  had  evaded  it,  and  some  of  them  by  unfair,  un- 
gentlemanly  and  unchristian  methods. 

•  Angustine  was  an  African  bishop,  when  that  part  of  the  world  was  among  the 
first  in  intelligence  and  religion. 


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